Against All Odds
by PearLynn
Summary: When Fire Lord Zuko disappears while on a mission to find his sister, it is up to Avatar Aang and Katara to follow the trail he left behind and bring him back home. Between crazed mercenaries and a missing princess, Katara realizes that there is more to her drive to bring Zuko back than just their friendship. Includes torture and death.
1. Gone

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender._

_This story takes place about a year after the events of **The Search.**  
_

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**Chapter One: Gone**

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Night always seemed darker in the Earth Kingdom. Even with the vast amount of stars above and moonlight shining down on the land, it just seemed to be blacker and stiller than night in the Fire Nation. Extra darkness meant more places for things to hide, things that could come out without warning and take down travelers and disappear just as fast.

Even more reason for Zuko to be wary when he traveled on the dirt roads leading to Ba Sing Se.

He had every right to, though. In his few years as the Fire Lord, he learned of the continued disdain of his nation. Especially when he traveled in the areas on the border of the colonies. The hatred towards his people ran deep, as it should, and it seemed that his caution would always be warranted. Years of hatred led to discrimination, despite efforts to smooth cracked relations between nations.

That's why he tried to travel inconspicuously.

His hood was drawn up, his hair was out of it's typical topknot and tied at the nape of his neck, and his crown was tucked away in his saddle bag along with small necessities. Everything else he would need for his next public appearance was waiting for him at the Jasmine Dragon.

Travel light, stay out of sight. It was the best way for him to get through the Earth Kingdom without risking attack. At least, that was his opinion.

He and his personal guard, Shun, had traveled on ostrich horses from Yu Dao, heading towards Ba Sing Se on a personal mission. Zuko would have trusted his friends to assist him on this, but he felt asking for their help once more so soon after they aided him with finding his mother was a bit much. Chasing the women of his family shouldn't be a job description for the Avatar and his friends. And though it may have seemed incredibly soon since his last absence from the throne, this needed to be done. And quickly, before anything bad happened.

This was something Zuko- and Zuko alone- had to do.

"My lord," Shun murmured as his brown eyes scanned the area around them, reaching towards the hilt of his sword under his cloak with deliberate slowness. They had just entered a sparse forest where the path was in a valley in between the trees and Zuko could sense the tension in Shun's posture even as they rode side by side. The man's piercing gaze shifted to him and he frowned. "Something isn't right."

Zuko agreed almost instantly. It was too silent in this forest. Normally the sounds of nocturnal creatures would be faint, quieting slightly as they trotted past whatever animal was hidden in the trees then picking up again as they left. But there was absolutely no sound, as if everything was gone. Or afraid.

"Keep your eyes open and your ears alert."

"Yes, sir," Shun murmured. Time seemed to slow as they hurried their pace just slightly, making their ostrich horses gallop quick enough to make the silhouettes of the trees pass by them in dark blurs.

"Shun," Zuko began as he scanned the area around them, slowing his steed momentarily and grabbing the other man's sleeve. He could feel their presence, even if he couldn't see them. But he felt eyes on him, human eyes. There was nowhere to go. The closest village was miles away behind them, and they weren't supposed to reach Full Moon Bay for another day. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Before he could turn to his guard, he heard the sound of something slicing through air and then the definite thunk of an arrow hitting it's mark. He turned to see Shun staring at him with fearful eyes the size of dinner saucers, and the sound of blood gurgling up into his throat filled Zuko's ears. Shun fell off the back of his ostrich horse and collapsed onto the ground, and the sight of an arrow protruding out of his back made Zuko's stomach drop and his heart to pick up in fear.

He pulled the reins of his ostrich horse and spurred it ahead, trying in vein to search the trees for any other assassins. But the black abyss of the night prohibited him from even seeing ten feet in front of him. He heard it before he could see it- the sounds making his ears prick up and the hair on his neck to stand on end. And he didn't dodge fast enough to avoid the dart that stuck him in his chest.

Zuko felt the venom enter him- a sensation familiar to him from years ago- and his body fell off the back of his ostrich horse and to the ground, useless in paralysis. His consciousness was receding as he watched his steed race away and out of sight. And just as he spotted a pair of feet in his line of vision, there was a sharp pain to the back of his head and darkness washed over him.

* * *

_Three Weeks Later_

Fall seemed to be approaching early this year, Katara observed as a crisp breeze tousled the hair over her shoulders. The air here was already dry enough, like it always was in the Earth Kingdom. Unlike the Fire Nation where frequent rains helped cool the oppressive heat and humidity, here it was dry and stifling, and rain was so rare that the ground was parched and the plants were wilted.

Katara was never fond of the Earth Kingdom because of that.

The sun was beating down on Omashu, and without the breeze it would have been miserable. There was a certain quality of the air today that brought the acknowledgement of the approaching season. And as she sat in the garden of Bumi's palace, the weather couldn't have felt more perfect. Even if she had absolutely nothing to do, this seemed to be just a fine thing to take up her time.

She would have been content with relaxing all afternoon while Aang was in a council meeting with King Bumi, but there was a listless feeling in the pit of her stomach that caused a deep pit of uneasiness. The only thing that calmed her was some quiet relaxation near the marble fountain in the center of the courtyard. She kept her mind busy by thoughtlessly swirling the water around, up and weaving through her fingers before spinning back into the pool. But just as Katara settled into her peaceful meditation, a shadow crossed over her and caused her to open her eyes. She looked up to see a black silhouette covering the sun, growing larger as time passed. She had to squint to see that it was a messenger hawk. One from the Fire Nation.

The hawk swooped down, claws latching onto her raised arm and digging into her skin painfully. She winced, but the bird let up a little before cawing and scooting closer to her shoulder. The tube on his back was full, and the ribbon that fluttered out of the canister was black.

It was from Zuko. And it was important.

Quickly, Katara pulled out the letter, unrolled it, and scanned the contents as fast as she could. Her heart sank and her chest seized in fear as she got further into the message, dread filling the pit of her stomach quicker than she could comprehend. She went over it two, three times before running back inside the building, feet barely touching the stone in her haste.

_"AANG!"_

There was the sound of a door slamming against a wall as it was opened and the airbender in question whirled around the corner on his air scooter, grey eyes wide with surprise- and possibly fear- at Katara's shriek.

"Katara!" He stopped in front of her, taking her shoulders to brace her. "Hey, sweetie, what's wrong?"

She held up the letter to him, letting him read over it's contents before speaking. He, too, looked as if his worse fears were coming to fruition as he got deeper into the scroll. When he finished reading it for the fourth time, it slipped from his fingers and dropped onto the ground. His hands were frozen where they had held the scroll as his eyes locked onto hers, mirroring the dread that was overwhelming her.

"We need to go to the Fire Nation. Now."

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_tbc_

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**_A/N_**_ Hello! Thanks for stopping by to read this story. It's been on the back burner for a good while now, and since I've had my baby and we've settled into a routine that allows some writing I've been able to give this little story the attention it deserves._

_Updates will be sporadic, hopefully twice a week._

_Until next time!_


	2. Fear

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

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**Chapter Two: Fear**

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Katara leapt off of Appa's back before the bison even landed in the grassy knoll of the Fire Nation palace. She rolled to her feet, then sprinted towards the inner gates like she was aided by the wind. She whizzed past perplexed guards, who stared at her as she climbed the stairs, and she skidded to a halt just so she could pull open the doors. Inside- obviously on his way to meet Aang and her at the door- was Iroh, wearing the reds and blacks of his home nation. The surprise at her sudden entrance was short-lived, just before his face fell into sadness and he bowed his head slightly.

"General Iroh," she said breathlessly, huffing in air that burned her lungs. "What happened? How could- what's going on?"

Iroh arched a bushy brow at her before he looked over her shoulder, spotting Aang as he entered behind her, and turned his shoulders towards the inside of the palace. "Let us talk in private. I made tea."

Katara and Aang looked to each other, wordlessly expressing their mutual concern and fear of what was to be said behind closed doors. Together they turned to Iroh and nodded, then followed him towards the royal wing of the palace. Katara's fear ate at her nerves, gnawing deeper as every second passed. And it didn't help that Iroh was silent the entire walk, only speaking once when they passed a servant and he requested some food and accommodations for the Avatar and waterbending master. His silence only spurred on that anxiety even further. Anything would have been better than this.

Once they reached his suite, the tension was so thick it stifled Katara's breathing and made her chest seize even more in anxious fear. She needed to know what happened and soon, or she thought she would implode. Soon the tea was poured- ginseng with some orange blossom- and the trio sat in silence for a while before Aang cleared his throat and looked to Iroh.

"So… tell us what happened."

Iroh sighed, a shaky sound that made Katara realize how old the retired general was- and most likely felt- right now. He rubbed his temple before answering in a low and solemn voice, "My nephew had written to me with a request a few months ago. He wanted me to return to the Fire Nation for a month or two and rule in his stead while he went on a tour of the cities and towns that were going to become the new nation that you and King Kuei have been in discussion about since the incident in Yu Dao. He planned on then heading to Ba Sing Se after the tour was done to meet with the Earth King in order to discuss the territory lines and some matters surrounding trade between their nations.

"However, when I arrived I saw he wasn't bringing the bulk of his guards or even the Kyoshi Warriors. Just a few changes of clothes were packed and his personal bodyguard Shun was tagging along. I asked him why, and he pulled me into his office and told me his true intentions: he planned to search for Azula."

"Azula?" Katara remarked with a frown. "I thought she ran away in Hira'a. No one knew where she went."

Iroh sipped his tea and eyed Katara thoughtfully for a moment before replying, "Yes, but some village leaders in the Earth Kingdom have given my nephew news of a woman looking an awful lot like the princess travelling eastward. She's been spotted in three villages in the former colonial territory."

"How did she get to the Earth Kingdom?" Aang asked as he looked from Iroh to Katara. "She went into the Forgetful Valley. And-"

"No one had seen her leave through Hira'a," Iroh stated. "There are many ports in the Fire Nation that have ships going to the Earth Kingdom now. It is possible that my niece found her way to one of these ports and managed to get to the Earth Kingdom from there. It has been a year since she went missing, so she would have had plenty of time to get across the sea."

Katara and Aang both nodded, and Iroh took another sip of his tea before stating, "Fire Lord Zuko felt it was his responsibility to track her down and bring her home, without the threat of his normal entourage. He believed that if he was traveling inconspicuously, he would be more likely to find her. Hearing news of her brother's presence and desire to find her would make Azula go into hiding, and he didn't want that."

"But that would just make him more vulnerable to attack!" Aang exclaimed as he slammed down his cup, causing the tea to slosh out the sides. "What was he thinking?!"

Iroh sighed and shook his head, dropping his gaze to table as he spoke. "I do not know, and I expressed that same concern to him. But he insisted that things would be fine and he would be able to take care of himself-"

"Leave Zuko to think he can handle travelling through an entire country of people who pretty much hate him," Katara mumbled under her breath as she crossed her arms and jutted out her lower lip.

Iroh smiled wistfully at that, set his cup completely on the table, and turned to Aang as he folded his hands in his sleeves. "When I didn't receive word from King Kuei of Zuko's arrival in Ba Sing Se, I began to worry. So I wrote to him, only to find out Zuko had never even arrived in the city. I had then written to the council in Yu Dao, and they told me he had left not a week after he first got there…"

"When did you get the letter you told us about?" Aang asked after a long moment.

"Two weeks ago." He sighed again and looked into his empty cup. "I wrote to you as soon as I received it... I didn't know who else to ask for help. This is something my old bones can't take care of on my own."

Katara looked to Aang, who was also staring at the contents of his cup. There was a deep furrow in his brow that told her he was thinking heavily about the costs of what Iroh was asking of them. She, too, knew what was at stake, and that there was no one else in the entire world that could do this. And she knew Aang's dedication to their friend- the bright, shining beacon of hope for the Fire Nation- would almost automatically make him decide to take this trip. There was no way he could say no, despite the possible risks.

So, instead of even thinking about the gamble they would take by accepting Iroh's request, Katara turned to the interim Fire Lord and put her hands on top of his. "What do we need to do to find Zuko?"

* * *

"Katara? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

The waterbender in question turned away from the window of her sitting room to see Suki standing in her doorway, dressed in casual green trousers and a matching tunic, face free of her Kyoshi paint. Katara smiled and nodded as she walked towards the couch near the fireplace to her right. Suki followed suit and sat down, fiddling with the hem of her shirt and chewing on her lower lip as she did so.

Katara sat down and folded her hands in her lap, feeling Suki's anxiety roll off her in waves. So she started to start off lightly, "How have you been?"

Suki shrugged. "I've been better."

"Haven't we all?"

That earned Katara a small smile before it fell and Suki sighed, "I just feel like I messed up..."

Katara leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

Suki's eyes glanced up to Katara's and for a moment, Katara could see defeat written all over her face. "I didn't do my job. I let Zuko leave without my protection. Because of that, he's been captured and probably will be killed... I let my friend down by not protecting him."

Katara took Suki's hand with her own and gave her a sad smile. "I know you're feeling guilty. We all are. But you can't beat yourself up for something you couldn't control. Right now, you need to protect Iroh like you would Zuko. Aang and I will bring Zuko back home."

"You're meeting up with Sokka, right?"

Nodding, Katara replied with a hopeful smile, "I'm sure he'll be able to help. Iroh said that he and Zuko met up before Zuko went to the next town."

Suki stared at her intently for a few moments before nodding and glancing down to their joined hands. "I'm just worried... If this is as bad as I think it is, it could be more than just someone not liking Zuko or the Fire Nation. He brought Shun with him, and that man not someone you would want on your bad side. If someone managed to kidnap Zuko, then they took down two of the most ruthless fighters in the world... That's scary enough to think about."

Katara concentrated on that thought pretty heavily. Suki was right. She had met Shun once during her last visit, and that man frightened her. He had muddy brown eyes that were cold and distant, and were ever watchful. Always watching like hawk. His long and angular face seemed tense and angry, and whenever he spoke it was with a low and cautious voice. Where he lacked in warmth, he made up in his intelligence. He was a man of few words, but was articulate and intuitive. Plus his skills with a blade were top knotch- making him perfect as the Fire Lord's right-hand man.

Hearing that both of them had disappeared almost a month ago was unsettling to say the least.

"Do you think... that Shun is dead?"

Suki frowned and her eyes narrowed as she thought, then nodded solemnly. "He would have died before letting someone take Zuko, that I know. Going down without a fight isn't Shun's style..." She buried her face in her hands and began to cry silently. "I shouldn't have let them go. I could have gone with them and brought the other Kyoshi Warriors, and they both would have been safe. Shun is probably dead, and Zuko is mostly likely about to be killed because we didn't fight with him... He just _had _to do this alone... And I shouldn't have let him."

Katara scooted towards her and wrapped her arms around Suki's shoulders, feeling her own hot tears start to fall down her cheeks.

"We'll find him, Suki... I promise."

* * *

Fear was nothing new to him, not now. Not ever. And what Zuko was experiencing now was pretty close to the worst fears he saw when he closed his eyes at night. Nothing like fire engulfing him, death taking his friends, or that dreaded lightning strike that would make him wake with a sore chest and a racing heart. Like the pain that left him blind and scared and unable to breathe. Fear was inherent in his life.

And this was on a whole new level.

The ground beneath his shins was cold, wet enough to soak through the fabric of his pants and chilling him to the bone. He knew his shirt was gone, based on the biting chill of the air seeping into his skin and tightening his lungs as he breathed. His arms were chained above his head in a spread eagle, and his bare ankles and feet were strapped down to the floor with a thick metal cuff, causing him to be in a permanent kneel on the floor. The room was cold like the freezers at the Boiling Rock, but his immobilization was something completely different. And terrifying.

He had no idea how long he had been locked up, and the delirium brought on by his head injury and the bending suppressants that was shoved down his throat caused him to lose his inner flame and his pull from the sun. He guessed it was at least a week, judging how infrequently someone brought- and forcefully fed- him food and how quickly he became hungry again. But it could always be longer. He had no idea how long he was unconscious before they chained him up.

Either way, he was stuck and alone.

This time when he woke up, he heard small chatter outside the door to the cell. He guessed they were at least two men, and they had been speaking about him. Something about "ransom" and "princess", but it was hard to tell over the sounds of his own haggard breathing and the thrumming of his heartbeat in his ears. They had been speaking to each other for a long time, pausing every once in a while for a new voice to join in and talk about what sounded like meals or something along those lines.

Then, after what felt like hours, one voice came closer to the door and spoke out clearly, "Let's see if the honorable Fire Lord is ready to talk."

The door swung open and light filled the room like a tidal wave, blinding Zuko momentarily before he squeezed his eyes shut to block it away. His only reprieve from the blinding light was a silhouette of a man standing in front of him, blocking the doorway with his stocky body.

"Well, well, well... Looks like the mighty leader of the Fire Nation has decided to finally wake up."

His voice was hoarse, like he smoked one too many pipes of tobacco, and deep. He was large in stature, shoulders broad and hips narrow. Once Zuko's eyes adjusted to the harsh light, he could also see this man had chestnut colored hair that was partially pulled away from his face and cut raggedly at his chin, which had been covered in a layer of stubble. His eyes and mouth were obscured with his shadow.

"Did you have a nice rest, Zuko?"

He glared up at the man with as much strength as he could muster, and replied in a voice scratchy with disuse, "Where am I?"

"Now, now, don't be hasty," the man said as he put his hands on his hips, "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and I'll answer them in due time. But first I want to introduce myself, since I didn't have the pleasure to do so in our first meeting." He reached for a torch from the hall and brought it inside the cell, and placed it in a sconce on the wall that Zuko hadn't noticed before. And once the man's face had been illuminated, Zuko could see his yellowing teeth and jade eyes. "My name is Yura, leader of the Xi Lang Mercenary Corps, and your captor."

Zuko's scowl deepened and he hissed, "What do you want with me?"

Yura shrugged and closed the door behind him, leaving the whole cell washed in the flickering torch light, and crouched down so his face was even with Zuko's. "All in due time, Fire Lord. Are you comfortable? Would you like anything?"

Zuko stifled a cough, getting strangled by Yura's putrid breath, and pressed his mouth into a thin line. He knew Yura was taunting him. Anything he wanted would not be provided. This was just a game to this man.

Yura smiled at Zuko's silence and stood up, now looming over him like a statuesque giant. "If I were you, I'd get as comfortable as you could, because you're going to be here for a while. I can assure you of that fact."

"What are you going to do to me?"

Yura turned away and grabbed the torch off the wall, then swung the heavy door open and looked back to the incapacitated Fire Lord, grinning from ear to ear with a menacing curl that made Zuko's insides churn and turn to ice. When he spoke, his words were bubbling with venom and malice. "I'm going to kill you, Fire Lord Zuko."

* * *

_tbc._


	3. Defiant

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

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**Chapter Three: Defiant**

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Aang spurred Appa into a flight faster than Katara has ever seen. Other than when he was flying Zuko and her to the Fire Nation before Sozin's Comet, Appa had never flown faster. Today, his haste was just as needed, if not more urgent than it had been four years ago. After leaving the capital at dawn, Appa had been flying nonstop to get to Yu Dao. They had flown over the furthest island of the Fire Nation just over an hour ago, so Katara assumed they would reach the former colony a little after sunset. It was hard to tell, but Katara couldn't help but hope to get there as soon as possible.

Zuko was missing, captured by an unknown party, and they were demanding an unreasonable ransom for his return. Iroh had shown them the letter, and Katara memorized it after reading the words after what felt like one hundred times.

_"If our demands aren't met by the deadline, the Fire Lord's head will be sent to you in a box."_

She shivered at the thought of that final line. Momo must have felt her anxiety, because he purred from her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek with his. It wouldn't be that hard to tell how nervous she was feeling, considering it was most likely coming off of her in waves. All of her nails were already chewed off, her lip had little dents from where her teeth have dug into the skin. Zuko's safety and survival counted on Aang and her finding him before the autumn equinox, which was only two weeks away. They had to follow the Fire Lord's trail and hunt down the group who took him, without any leads other than the name of the people who took him and that he left Yu Dao only a few days after arriving. There was a two week window where they had no clue what Zuko had gone or done. It was almost as hard as trying to catch smoke.

"We'll find him, Katara. Don't worry."

_Always the optimist, _she thought to herself with a smile. But Aang's words betrayed his face. He was obviously feeling the pressure to find their friend, based on the tightness of his shoulders and the harshness of his eyes as he stared towards the east. They both were acutely aware of the risk of their mission, how they had to hide their intentions behind lies to practically everyone they encountered. If word of what they were actually doing reached the ears of the mercenaries of Xi Lang, Zuko's life would be forfeit.

When Yu Dao appeared on the horizon, Appa swooped over the stone wall and down into the courtyard of the Air Acolytes meeting hall. Xing Ying- the former president of the Avatar Aang Fan Club and now the head Acolyte- was outside the front gates, waiting for them with a forlorn expression. She bowed at the waist when they approached, giving Aang- and only Aang- a small smile.

"Avatar Aang," she remarked, then finally saw Katara was with him and her smile fell slightly. "Master Katara. We're glad you could take time out of your business to visit us."

Aang waved her off and returned her smile. "It's nothing. But we can't stay long. We need to meet with the Coalition Government as soon as possible. Appa just needs somewhere to graze and rest while we're busy doing that."

Xing Ying nodded. "That's fine. Shouldn't be an issue at all. Do you know how long you'll be in Yu Dao?"

Katara frowned and hugged her arms. "Not long. We've got... important things to take care of elsewhere."

Aang turned to her and they locked eyes for a long moment. Keeping this quiet, even from Aang's acolytes, would be crucial for Zuko's survival. Aang flashed her a reassuring smile, then turned back to the acolyte.

Though Xing Ying must have not noticed the cryptic tone of Katara's reply, because she just nodded once and stepped towards Aang, putting a hand on his arm and smiling warmly. "Well, go take care of your business and we'll keep an eye on Appa and Momo."

Aang, oblivious of her hand on his bicep- and Katara's glare towards the offending limb- just grinned and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you so much." He turned to his girlfriend and extended his hand. "Come on, sweetie. We're on a time crunch."

Tearing her eyes away from Xing Ying's contact with Aang, Katara smiled sweetly at him and wrapped her arm around him as he twirled his glider open and soared into the air. They flew over the people of Yu Dao, towards the city's town hall. There were shouts of excitement about the Avatar's arrival, but they were ignored for the sake of time. Aang always would entertain when he visited any town he traveled to, but today they couldn't waste a second. Every single one counted.

As soon as they landed on the bottom steps of the town hall, Katara spotted Kori Morishita standing at the top. As if she was waiting for them.

"Avatar Aang," she said, bowing in the universal fashion, "to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Together, Aang and Katara ran up the remaining stairs and bowed in return. Aang grinned at the former mayor's daughter and replied, "We need to speak to the members of the council."

Kori's eyebrow arched, but her skeptic expression vanished almost instantly. "Unfortunately, right now they're in a meeting concerning the trade agreements that were hashed out a month ago when Fire Lord Zuko visited. So you might have to wait."

"Actually that's why we're here," Katara replied, ignoring Kori's spiteful tone when she said Zuko's name and continuing, "We need to talk to them about when he left and what he did when he was here."

"Why?"

Katara was starting to get irritated with this girl's attitude, and right as she opened her mouth to retort with something along the lines of _'it's none of your business' _and _'this is a serious matter and we don't need your petty replies about the Fire Lord', _Aang swooped in between them, probably sensing Katara's tension, and said, "It's nothing really. We just are trying to find out what they discussed. I _am_ the Avatar, so I should be in the know with these things."

Kori seemed to consider this for a few moments before she relaxed slightly and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't see why it's important, but whatever. Fire Lord Zuko came in and he met with Councilman Taki about the trade of some metalwork and then Councilwoman Ren about if the city needed any resources from the Fire Nation to help us start up with commerce. After those discussions were done, I'm pretty sure he went to the Beifong Metalbending Academy and then left a day later."

"How long was he here?" Aang asked.

"I think just a couple of days," Kori responded, cupping her chin in thought. "He seemed to have another agenda other than meeting with the council, but I didn't ask anything of it. Seems like he's still a little bitter about our first meeting. So I really don't know the finer details."

Katara scoffed and crossed her arms. "I don't blame him. Assassination attempts aren't the best way of saying '_hello_' and becoming friends."

Kori sneered and mirrored Katara's posture. "I'm _sorry _if the _Fire Lord _needed a wake-up call. If I hadn't tried to do it, he wouldn't have come here and ended the Harmony Restoration Movement. Thanks to _me, _Yu Dao is now thriving as an independent state. And the other colonies are following in our footsteps."

"Just be glad he didn't kill you on the spot," Katara snapped back, her tone cross. "You don't deserve any credit for what happened here. It was Aang and Zuko who did all the work. You just attempted murder and expect to be praised for it."

Just as Kori opened her mouth to retort, Aang stood in between them and raised his hands to pacify them both. "Alright, alright. Obviously, we learned what we needed to know." He looked to Katara, eyes pleading, and whispered, "We can go to Toph's academy now and see what they talked about when Zuko went by. Sokka is there, too, so we can just pick him up and head out. Like we planned."

Katara stared at him for a moment before nodding, then turning and walking back down the stairs. Not before shooting Kori a scathing glare and scowling deeply at her. The look was returned with just as much venom before Kori turned around and walked back into the town hall.

* * *

A boot swung around and hit him square in the stomach. The whoosh of breath leaving his lungs actually burned enough to make him curl into himself with the pain of the new incoming air. There was a pause before a fist came crashing into his cheek, the force of the hit knocking his head back and causing his head to hit the wall behind him. As his head fell forward and he coughed, Zuko spat and stared down as it dripped to the floor.

His spittle was laden with the red of his blood, and he could taste the metallic tang of it against his teeth. His vision swarmed with black dots, speckling the orange of the firelight that lit his cell. The pair of feet in his sight tapped impatiently and the sound of the owner's heavy breathing filled his ears, vague and faint behind the whooshing of his own blood in his ears.

"I have been a generous host, Zuko. And a very patient one, at that. So I will ask you one more time: where is she?"

Zuko coughed again, more blood coming out and staining the stone near his knees, and glared upwards. But he remained silent.

A hand grasped his throat and squeezed, cutting off any attempt at breathing. Yura knelt in front of him and stared at him with a level gaze, tightening his grip slightly as a warning. "I don't have time for this. Where is Princess Azula?!"

"I don't know," Zuko croaked.

The hand squeezed tighter. "You're lying."

The spots in his vision grew, almost blinding him as his lungs burned and he started to become lightheaded. He had experienced near-suffocation before, when he had swam in the icy channels under the North Pole, but that was nothing compared to this. He could feel the bruise around his neck already forming, blood vessels popping and swelling from the pressure, along with the others Yura had already inflicted on him before his questioning.

"My sources say you released her from the mental hospital last year," Yura said as he lessened his hold fractionally, peering into Zuko's eyes. "And they tell me that she even left the palace at one point in time. So you're going to tell me where she is, because I know you're not stupid enough to let her out of your sights."

If his throat wasn't completely closed off by a grubby hand, Zuko could have responded with a very generous phrasing of _'go fuck yourself'_. Instead, something akin to a wheeze came out and he shut his eyes tightly. Yura must have gotten the hint because he let go, shoving Zuko's head downwards as he did. He heaved in a deep breath, and the sound that came out rattled in an unsettling way. He choked on the air, coughed up some more blood, and spat it on the ground. He could feel some of the dribble on his lip, and ignored his desire to wipe it away. It wasn't like he could, anyway.

"I'll give you one last chance. Where is Azula?"

He didn't know. He had been honest when he told Yura that. But the man wouldn't believe him, no matter how convincing he was. Zuko wanted to find Azula as much as Yura did. He wanted his sister home, not dead, so she could heal. And if being here- stalling Yura from searching for her because he believed Zuko was lying- would prevent her from being captured and killed, then so be it. He had faith in his friends. He knew by now Iroh would have contacted them about his disappearance, so they were bound to be on his trail by now. And that meant Azula's trail, too.

And something told him as her big brother, he needed to make sure she was safe. Regardless of their turbulent past. It was the right thing to do.

So, Zuko slowly lifted his head and gave Yura a silent and defiant glare.

The man's jade eyes narrowed, and he pulled a dagger out of his belt without taking his eyes off the firebender. "So be it."

* * *

_tbc._

* * *

**_A/N _**_Sorry I keep leaving these on cliff hangers, but the suspense is what keeps this story going strong._

_Please keep reviewing, guys. I love hearing what you think of the story so far._


	4. Tracks

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

**_A/N_**_ I want to be honest with you guys: I hate the comic books that follow the series. __The characters are OOC and Azula's psychosis was just a little too much, plus the way Zuko was depicted as a child just seemed off to me. __But I got this plot bunny after reading the end of **The Search **and it just seemed like it would work. Even with my dislike for the direction canon went, I still want to write this story._

_Another thing, I'm planning on having this story done by the end of October, because I'm participating in NaNoWriMo and need all of my attention to be focused on that. _

* * *

**Chapter Four: Tracks**

* * *

"Little sister!"

Katara was greeted with a neck-breaking hug, cutting off her air supply with such force that she squeaked. Though they had just seen each other a little over three months ago, Katara was warmed by her brother's presence after missing him so much. He was patting her on the back when she realized there was something different. Something was scratching her against the side of her face.

Pulling away, she stared at him with wide eyes and mouth agape. "Sokka, did you grow a beard?"

Sokka took one of his hands and stroked the small patch of trimmed stubble on his chin, grinning from ear to ear as he did, and replied, "Yeah! I thought it would be fun to see what it would look like, since it's been coming in pretty thick now. Suki likes it."

"Suki hasn't even seen it yet, numbskull," Toph commented, coming over after greeting Aang with a playful earthbending battle. As soon as Appa landed outside of the Beifong Metalbending Academy, Toph's students filtered out behind their teacher, who took it upon herself to launch Aang right back into the air after leaping off of the bison's head. For about five minutes, the rock flinging continued until Toph declared the battle over by binding Aang to the ground with a metal cord.

"I told her about it," Sokka replied indignantly, sticking his chin up and pouting his lip. "And she said it sounded like it was cute. Therefore, she likes it."

Aang rolled his eyes before clasping Sokka on the forearm and pulling him into a hug. Toph had come up behind Katara and punched her on the bicep. "Hey, Katara. How's it going?"

Katara shrugged, rubbing her sore arm, and mumbled, "Okay, I guess. I've been better."

"Twinkle Toes told me about Zuko," Toph whispered, looking towards Katara's face with concern. "You doing alright?"

Flummoxed by- and honestly a little suspicious of- Toph's tone, Katara tugged at her collar and said, "I'm nervous. Worried, obviously..."

"We'll find him, Sweetness. I know we will."

Turning towards Toph completely, ignoring Aang's and Sokka's imploring stares, Katara replied, "What if we don't? His life hangs in our hands. And we have no idea on what to do..."

Aang had walked over and took her hand. "Hey, let's go inside to Toph's office. We can talk more about this in there."

Together, the four walked inside the Academy behind Toph's lead. She had shouted instructions for her students to continue their forms while she conducted business, which was answered with a collective groan of disappointment, and brought her guests down a long hallway that led to a room that acted as her office and bedroom. The cot in the back of the room was covered in books and paper, while a pillow and blanket were thrown on the floor next to it. There was a desk, also covered with paper and books, that had a window behind it that hosted a beautiful view of the mountains behind Yu Dao. Not like Toph could enjoy it, anyway.

It was obvious that Sokka had done some organizing in here, because the map on the wall was hanging the correct way and all of the scrolls on the shelves were in alphabetical order. Not to mention there was a tray of ink with a pile of parchment next to it with some correspondence written on a couple of scattered sheets. There was also a huge pile of unopened scrolls in a basket labeled "_Applications" _and an empty basket next to it labeled "_Rejections" _and a second labeled "_Accepted". _

Toph plopped herself down in her chair, propped her feet up on the desk, and leveled an empty gaze on Aang. "So, what exactly is going on?"

Aang looked to Katara, shaking her out of her observant stupor, and then turned back to Toph. "Iroh sent us a letter a little less than a week ago letting us know that something had happened to Zuko. Apparently, he had been captured by an unknown party that was demanding a large sum of Fire Nation gold and amnesty in exchange for Zuko. They want all of this by the equinox, or Zuko will be killed."

"So why aren't you just complying and giving them what we want?" Sokka asked, sitting down on the edge of the desk and crossing his arms. "Looking for trouble will just risk Zuko's life."

"Iroh said he considered it," Katara answered, taking the letter in question out of her pocket and handing it to her brother. "But he thought of what Zuko would do, and decided not to give into terrorist demands. Because Zuko would never do it. He would find a way to take out the perpetrators and save the ones they took without giving them what they want. Bowing down to an unknown group like the Xi Lang would make the Fire Nation appear weak, too, so doing so would possibly cause uprisings within the country. Taking away from the treasury to get Zuko back- if they don't double cross us- would probably force the government to raise taxes to afford trade and wages. Things are already uneasy enough and doing something like that could only make things worse."

"So, they are only giving you the option of giving into their demands or Zuko dies?" Sokka said as he looked up from the unfurled scroll, face concentrated as he was trying to clarify the information. "And instead of giving into these demands, you're going to stealthily follow Zuko's footsteps and try to find out where they're hiding him?"

"Pretty much," Aang supplied. "And we need to find out where he was going after he left here. We know he came and talked to you guys, so... anything you know would be helpful."

"He was here for only a couple of hours," Toph stated, taking her feet off the desk and standing up. She walked around to the front and crossed her arms as she sat down next to Sokka. "He walked in, we all hugged and talked about what had been going on between us all for the past few months. He observed one of my lessons, then those two-" she gestured towards Sokka, "-went back here and talked for a little bit."

Katara and Aang both turned towards Sokka, who was reading over the scroll once more. He felt their eyes on him, glanced up, and sighed as he rolled the scroll back up and grasped it in his lap. "He wanted to know if I had a map. He needed to find a certain city because he was planning on heading there next. We came back here, and he looked at the map for a minute. Afterwards, we talked about some stuff and he stayed the night before heading out that morning. He said something about Pohuai, but didn't mention anything else about it."

Aang walked over to the map on the wall, finger trailing against the shores of the Earth Kingdom. Katara could feel herself start to get anxious again, and she gnashed her tongue between her teeth and ground them back and forth in anticipation. Wherever Zuko had gone, they needed to head there as soon as possible. Wasting time wasn't a luxury they could afford right now.

"Pouhai? As in the harbor town near the old Fire Nation stronghold?" Aang asked, looking over his shoulder as his finger stopped on a marker on the map.

Sokka nodded and handed Katara the letter as he stood. "I think so. He wasn't really clear about what he was doing here, and I could tell he was hiding something. But I didn't ask much about it, because Zuko's always been secretive, if not downright tight-lipped about every aspect of his life. Seeing that guy reveal the true nature of any of his escapades is almost impossible."

Katara snorted, tucking the letter back into her pocket as she laughed, "Yeah, he's about as stubborn as an arctic yak."

"Do you guys know why he was heading there?" Toph asked after chuckling along with Katara.

Aang and Katara exchanged another look, and Aang nodded before stating, "He was looking for Azula. He's been trying to track her movements since she left Hira'a."

"So she came to the Earth Kingdom?"

Katara looked to her brother and said, "Apparently, she's been spotted in a few towns through the colonial area. Zuko thought it was his job to find her and get her back. He was willing to come here without a guard so he could get her home without a big scene."

Toph quirked an eyebrow and frowned deeply. "Sometimes I wonder why he is so insistent of doing things on his own. Didn't he learn from the last time he refused our help?"

Aang shrugged, smiling wistfully, and took Katara's hand. Gesturing for Toph and Sokka to follow, they stared to edge towards the door and down the hall. "Maybe when we find him, we can ask him after slapping him upside the head. But first, we need to actually find him. We're going to head to Pohuai. Now."

"Wait, aren't we coming with you?" Sokka said, trailing behind them as they headed out the front gates of the academy, Toph in tow.

Katara turned around, fixing a glare on her brother as they reached outside and got to Appa. "Well, yeah. Why wouldn't we?"

He glowered at her and stopped in his tracks. "You should have said something sooner! I need to pack!"

* * *

Pohuai Harbor turned out to be a trading village at the mouth of a river just a little south of Yu Dao. Katara thought it looked vaguely familiar as they flew over, and as soon as they landed in the forest outside of the village, shameful recognition washed over her. This was the village where she stole the waterbending scroll from the pirates, leading to her first real encounter with Zuko. She ducked her head in embarrassment, groaning, and Sokka turned to her with an inquisitive look on his face.

"What's your problem, Katara?"

"Oh, you know, just reminiscing."

Sokka looked out towards the town as he climbed down from Appa's saddle, the significance of this place dawning on him, and he barked out a laugh that reminded Katara of their father for a quick second. "This is where you stole that waterbending scroll! Ha! Let's hope we don't run into those pirates again, huh?"

"Sweetness_ stole_ something?!" Toph as she slid down Appa's leg and onto the ground. "How come no one told me about this before?"

"Because it happened a long time before you joined us," Katara dismissed quickly. She knew if Toph had learned of it back during the war- especially during her phase of swindling- she would never let it down. Ever.

"Yeah," Aang jumped in front of them, beaming with mirth, as he added, "It was back when Zuko was the angry guy with the ponytail. He even tied Katara to a tree!"

Toph's eyebrow arched and a wicked smirk grew on her face. "Did he now?"

"Yes, yes, yes, it was a long time ago," Katara mumbled as she shuffled away, cheeks heating to an embarrassing red. "Zuko apologized and we've forgotten about it. Can we just drop it now?"

There was snickering behind her as she stomped away and she forced herself to ignore it, as well as the hot blushing of her cheeks and the hammering of her heart. It wasn't fair of her to get so worked up about something that happened years ago. Something that had been resolved and sometimes easily joked about between her and Zuko. But why was it when someone else made fun of the situation, she couldn't help but feel completely embarrassed about it all? They weren't there, they don't know about anything that happened. They were taking everything out of context. Right?

Soon she reached the first buildings of the harbor city, with Aang, Sokka, and Toph right on her heels. But she stopped almost instantly, at a lost. She turned around and stared her three companions down with a deep frown on her face.

"Where do we go from here? We have no idea what Zuko did while he was in town."

Aang shrugged and stepped closer to her. "Ask around? Maybe someone knew what he was doing or where he went."

"You told us he was trying to stay incognito," Sokka interrupted, shaking his head. "If Zuko wanted to stay out of sight, he would have stayed out of sight. I think that we should find the closest tavern and ask the bartender if he recalls Zuko coming in. They usually know everything that goes on in these places."

Katara pursed her lips. Going to a seedy place like a tavern didn't seem like something Zuko would do... But it was something Azula would if she was wanting to stay hidden. She could hide in plain sight in a place like here, or any other tavern or bar. The only problem was if Zuko came here first, it was probably where Azula was first sighted. She would be long gone by now.

"We might as well try, Katara," Aang reasoned, taking her hand and smiling. "If someone saw Zuko, they could point us to where he went next."

She stared at him for a second, considering their options. Which there weren't many. They had no idea what Zuko's plan of action was, where he decided which villages to go to, or how many he visited before getting abducted. All they knew was his mission and first destination. They had to follow his footsteps. And Zuko was never the one to have a heavy footfall.

Resigned, she dropped her chin and nodded. It was a better plan that just walking around the pier and asking if anyone had seen Fire Lord Zuko here a month ago. It wasn't like many would remember that fact if Zuko had been under a guise. They might as well go to where he most likely would go himself: a place Azula would hide.

Just as the four teens crossed the street and into the main part of the town, Toph stopped and thrust her heel into the ground. Behind them, there was a yelp and a thud and Katara, Aang, and Sokka turned in an about-face to see a man laying in the dirt, rubbing his backside. He looked like a deviant, if not downright troublesome. His goatee was graying and had what seemed like some crumbs woven into the scraggly hair. He was missing more than a few teeth and looked like he needed a bath about four years ago.

Though, other than his hygiene issues, he looked well-kept. His clothes were fresh and his shoes weren't scuffed at all, as if he just got them.

"Why are you following us?" Toph demanded, arms guarded and eyes narrowed.

The man rubbed his face and held up his hands in a surrender. "Please, don't hurt me. I just want to help."

Aang and Sokka glanced at each other, confused, while Katara stepped forward towards him; cautious but curious. Her hand was still hovering over her opened water pouch, ready to take him out. She narrowed her eyes and demanded, "What do you want?"

"I didn't mean to," the man began, steadying himself as he tried to stand, "but I overheard you all talking about finding Fire Lord Zuko. I saw him while he was here, and I thought I could help you out."

Aang stepped in front of Katara, pulling her back and looked down at the man with a hopeful smile, extending out his hand to help. "You do? What happened? Did you talk to him?"

The man took Aang's proffered hand and nodded as he stood. As he brushed off his pants, he replied, "Yes, I talked to him. He was wondering if I had seen a woman in town a little while ago. I hadn't recognized him until he tried to hide when Captain Chang Zu and Oh came in, and as soon as they left he cursed and tried to shuffle out without hearing what I had to say. I followed him out and confronted him as he was trying to leave, and that's when I saw his scar. He actually paid me five gold coins to not let anyone know that he was here. But I recognized you all from the posters about the end of the war, so I knew I could trust you with this information."

"Did he tell you where he was going?" Sokka asked as he stepped around Aang.

The man nodded again. "He had asked me about the woman, one who had black hair, gold eyes, and a frightening aura... I told him that one like that had been here about a month before his arrival. She had headed down the trail that headed to Suta. It's about four day's travel northeast from here and he left almost immediately after I told him that."

Toph tapped Aang on the shoulder and frowned. "He's not lying. We need to go."

Aang turned back towards the man and bowed with his signature grin. "Thank you so much for your help."

He returned the bow and gave a small smile. "Anything for the Avatar and his friends. A friend can be found in any place."

He left them, then, walking away from the group and towards the docks. When the four teens looked back to each other, the confusion on each of their faces was as heavy as the next. With a shrug, Sokka turned and started heading out of the town. He looked over his shoulder and asked,"What do you think that man meant when he said 'a friend can be found in any place?'"

"No clue," Katara murmured, turning back towards the docks to spot the man again. But when she did, he was gone.

* * *

_tbc._


	5. Broken

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

_**WARNING: **This chapter includes torture._

**Chapter Five: Broken**

* * *

Suta was a quaint village, nestled in the middle of a thick forest at the foot of a small mountain range. The citizens seemed to mostly keep to themselves, walking down the main street with heads down and eyes averted from each other. To Katara, it seemed as if the town wasn't welcoming of their arrival. But that theory was soon quashed after they were approached by a squat looking woman once they reached the town square.

"Hello!" she said, bowing at her waist and grinning at them with a warm smile. "My name is Lan. I am the mayor of Suta. You must be Avatar Aang and his friends who ended the war! We are so happy you could come to our village, and if there is anything you would like we would be happy to oblige."

At first, the four teens were a little shocked by her sudden appearance and knowledge of their identities without announcement or pomp and circumstance as they entered the town. But with a quick recovery, they all bowed formally in return, and Aang stepped forward. "We would be happy to accept your hospitality, if it could be offered. And some information if you could spare it. Could we talk somewhere more private?"

Lan nodded, still smiling, and gestured for them to follow her inside a building that looked like it might be their town hall, but it was oddly the same size as every other building around it. Except for a large two storey building at the end of the street, tucked deep within the trees to the point that it was almost hidden and always in the shade. Even in the late hours of the evening, it looked incredibly busy. Katara watched a few suspicious characters leave and enter it, considering it for future reference, but chose to look the other way for the time being. The mayor should be more help than a bar.

Once they reached Lan's office, the mayor sat behind her desk and motioned for everyone to take a seat. Unfortunately, there were only two chairs. And four guests. Naturally, Aang took a chair and Katara stood behind him without a word. Toph and Sokka fought for their seat for a short moment, but Sokka let her take it after she punched him pretty hard in the arm. Lan watched the exchange with amusement, but turned to Aang once Toph was seated.

"So, how can I help you, Avatar Aang?"

Aang shifted in his seat, already uncomfortable, and said in a quiet tone, "We were wondering if Fire Lord Zuko had come through here any time recently. You see, we're trying to catch up with him before he gets to Ba Sing Se and it's hard to find someone travelling by foot, even if you are flying by sky bison."

Katara was a little surprised by Aang's ease with lying. He never could do it this well before. She reckoned she also tended to forget that as the Avatar, he was immersed in the world of politics and having the ability to let a fib slide off his tongue for the sake of keeping people pacified would be necessary. It just shocked her a little bit, though she couldn't put a finger on why.

"Fire Lord Zuko?" Lan replied, squinting her wrinkled gray eyes as she nodded once and cupped her chin. "Yes, he had passed through here a little over a month ago. Didn't ask for more than dinner at the Foundry and a room at the inn for himself and his frightening friend. But he wasn't dressed like he does in those normal public appearances, so it was hard to realize it was him until he took off his hood. Such a good looking young man, despite his... deformity."

Katara glared at her, but Lan continued without even sparing her a second glance. "He had asked for anonymity, and I didn't ask much of it. In fact, he spent more time in the Foundry, talking to the customers there, than anything. He left just two days after arriving, and headed east."

"What's the Foundry?" Toph asked as she picked at her toenails.

"It's the tavern at the end of the main street," Lan said, eyeing Toph distastefully. "It's where the majority of travelers go while passing through. We aren't a landmark or even somewhere on a main path towards the bigger cities, so a place like the Foundry is great for the more... shady type of character. It brings in the most revenue for our town, so we normally look the other way."

Katara thought of the questionable people she saw standing outside the tavern and of how out of place Zuko would have seemed if he had been there. With a frown, he looked to Sokka and whispered, "Why would Zuko want to go to a place like that?"

"A drink, maybe?" Sokka shrugged before tapping his chin. "Or he thought that would be the perfect place for Azula to have hidden once if she came here."

"... that I couldn't be more help, Avatar Aang," Lan had been saying, obviously not hearing the Water Tribe siblings converse. "But please accept a room at our inn, free of charge."

"Thank you so much, Mayor Lan," Aang had said with disappointment as he stood, then bowed.

"If you need anything else," Lan replied, standing as well to show them the door, "just ask. Suta does not mind catering to the occasional traveler. Especially one so special."

As Lan ushered them towards the door, Katara felt Toph tug on her arm. When the waterbender turned around, Toph tilted her chin up and whispered, "She's hiding something from us."

"What do you mean?"

"She's a little jumpy. We need to ask her about that letter. She might know something." Toph then turned abruptly, sightless eyes narrowed at Lan when she asked, "Do you know anything about the Xi Lang?"

Lan froze in her spot, bristling with fear as she looked from Aang to Sokka, then to Katara and finally back to Toph. Stammering, she adjusted her collar and swallowed heavily. "I-I-I don't know anything about them."

"You're lying, Mayor Lan."

Her eyes widened and she gulped again, then started playing with her graying braid. "I, well... I don't exactly know much about them. Other than the occasional member goes to the Foundry for a drink or two. Like I said, we don't discriminate against customers. Even ones as... unsavory as those men."

"Who exactly are they?" Sokka asked, stepping forward and to Toph's side.

Lan eyed him distastefully for a long moment, then let out a long breath that made her shoulders sag with defeat. "They're a group of highly trained mercenaries that specialized in taking out Fire Nation officers or defectors from the Earth Kingdom army during the war. Usually, they were freelance killers that would be contacted illegally by some Captains or Majors in His Majesty's army, sometimes even General Fong would use them. When the war ended their services pretty much were obsolete other than the occasional hunt for a war criminal or two, so they resorted to terrorizing and vandalizing small villages for money. The Earth King hasn't been doing much about them, because every effort to disband the corps have ended in a lot of dead bodies. Ones that aren't Xi Lang members."

"So they're pretty dangerous?" Sokka replied as he crossed his arms. Katara glanced at him from the corner of the eye with apprehension. He could possibly give them away with all of these questions. Even someone has tactful as Sokka would have to watch what he said around strangers. Lan really wasn't someone they could trust completely. Katara obviously didn't trust her farther than she could throw her.

Lan nodded and her chin lowered to her chest. "Very much so. Unfortunately, no one knows much about them. If you aren't a member, you probably won't hear much about them other than the aftermath of an attack. They are very sour about the war ending... If I were you, I would avoid them as much as possible."

_Not like that is possible, _Katara thought bitterly to herself. _We need to confront them to get Zuko back._

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help," Lan said, leading them back outside of the town hall and next door to the inn. "Just stay for as long as you want. We're happy to accommodate the Avatar and friends."

They bid their farewells to Mayor Lan and went inside the inn, where a scraggly old man was waiting at the counter for them. He gave them two keys and led them upstairs without a word. Once they reached their room, he informed them of the location of the inn's dining room on the main level and single wash room, then left without another word.

The door closed behind him and the four teenagers turned to each other. Aang rubbed the back of his neck and frowned as he said, "So what do we do? He was here, but we don't know where he went."

"Lan said he went east," Toph replied simply, going over to one of the double beds and plopping down on it. "So we'll leave in the morning and go east. There's not much we can do here but try and follow his trail to the next town."

"We might as well get some rest and start back up after a good night's sleep," Sokka yawned, collapsing onto his bed and falling asleep almost instantly.

Katara and Aang looked to each other, both sagging with discouragement. They had hoped for more answers while in Suta, but all they learned was a little about the Xi Lang. To Katara, that was sufficient in one way yet not enough. She needed to know more, she had to. They needed a headquarters, a leader's name. Something of substance that could help with their search.

"I'm going to go downstairs and get something to eat," Katara said abruptly, turning towards the door.

"I'll go with you," Aang skipped behind her and took her hand. She looked to him, seeing the eagerness in his eyes to be alone with her again. But she wasn't going to go to the dining room. There was somewhere else she needed to go. Somewhere that could give her more answers about the Xi Lang.

"Sorry, Aang, but I might be a while," she lied through her teeth, giving him a saccharine smile. Toph made no protest about her lie, nothing more than a quirk of her eyebrow and a shake of her head. Ignoring it, Katara looked back to Aang and gave his hand a soft squeeze. "You should get some sleep so we can get going as early as we can."

Looking like a kicked puppy, Aang nodded and went to the bed where Sokka had already passed out on without a fight. Once he was settled against a pillow, Katara grabbed a cloak from her pack and headed out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. She slipped down the hall and out the door of the inn, out into the town square and down the street.

Straight to the Foundry.

* * *

His head spun, and consciousness was fickle as he swayed in his spot. The wounds inflicted during his last session with Yura throbbed excessively, especially the new gash in his chest that was so kindly carved with his rusty dagger. It almost seemed like the pain from that long line, extending from the center of his sternum all the way to his shoulder, was the source of the pulsing that spread all over his body. If he had to guess, it was still bleeding. It was hard to tell in the darkness of his cell. His skin was too numb from the cold to tell if the warmth of his own life was seeping out of his injuries.

Zuko knew Yura would inevitably come back and ask about Azula again. It was only a matter of time, and he would do whatever it took to get what he wanted. Zuko inhaled sharply, gasping at a stab of pain in his side. A broken rib, he was sure of it.

The sound of a key entering the lock down the hall reached Zuko's ears and he perked up, flinching when his ribs protested, and he listened. One pair of feet came down the hall, followed by the sound of shuffling and grinding, like someone was dragging something across the floor. As the grinding and footsteps approached the door and stopped, Zuko held his breath and closed his eyes just as the door swung open.

"Good evening, Fire Lord," Yura said as he stepped inside with a torch and placed it in the sconce. As Zuko reopened his eyes, he saw Yura turning and dragging in a lightweight table, and then a large leather case that had been set on the floor. Yura opened the case, his back to Zuko, and spoke again, "I hope you've reconsidered your stance on revealing your sister's location. That would make things a lot easier for you."

Zuko couldn't see what the man was doing, but based on the small clicks and shuffling sounds that came from the table, he assumed that Yura was taking things out of that leather case and setting them on the table. Hopefully it wasn't anything too dangerous. This man had a knack for dealing some pain.

Yura "_tsked_" and turned around, revealing to Zuko what he was put on the table. There was an assortment of steel instruments with pointed ends; some forked, some corkscrewing, and others curved like hooks. In his hand was a rod with a single end, narrowed to a sharp point like a senbon. Zuko's eyes widened when he realized Yura's intent and struggled in his bonds before Yura squatted in front of him and grasped his chin with his free hand.

"As I've asked before: just tell me what I want and I'll make your death fast and easy. If you decide to keep acting like a stubborn child, I will treat you as such. And make your death so slow and painful that you will be begging me to kill you before the end."

He stood, then brought the tip to the fire of the torch. Zuko watched with fearful eyes as the steel heated until it glowed and Yura pulled it away. After displaying the heat of the metal by spitting on the orange tip, Yura knelt down right in front of Zuko and pressed the sharp end against the middle of his ribcage. Zuko hissed at the intruding heat on his chilled skin, but otherwise kept his face straight.

"Where is Princess Azula?"

Zuko pressed his lips into a thin line and narrowed his eyes in defiance. Yura stared at him, with something akin to glee, and pushed the rod into Zuko's skin. He screamed as a white-hot pain erupted and spread like wild fire through his chest. Every breath he took was like inhaling burning coals and letting them churn and fester in his lungs. And when Yura turned the rod and pushed it even deeper at an agonizingly slow speed, Zuko's vision went black and his throat became so raw from his screams that he thought he would never be able to speak again. He had never known pain like this, not even when his father burned him or when he took Azula's lightning. Those were walks in the park compared to what Yura was doing to him. He was being slowly skewered like a wild boar before a feast.

Just as fast as it started, Yura pulled out the rod and stood, leaving Zuko to gasp and sob in relief. For a while, the only sound echoing through the cell was Zuko's labored breathing. The pain was still there, stinging and growing with every breath he took. It was as if Yura had ripped his lungs into shreds with a simple little instrument.

"We know where the others are. Tell us where Azula is and we'll make sure all of their deaths are quick and painless. Especially the little girl."

Zuko's eyes widened in shock and he snapped his head up to stare into his captor's eyes with disbelief. Just one smirk and Zuko knew his plan: Yura was going to his family, every last one of them. Possibly even Ozai, and since he didn't have bending he was especially vulnerable. And Yura was going to kill his mother, even Ikem and Kiyi. Iroh would fight, but he was old and wasn't the fighter he used to be. A dozen of Yura's men could probably take him out easily.

In a desperate act of defiance, he spat right at Yura's feet, wetting the toe of the mercenary's boot with his blood and spit. Yura growled and kicked him in the ribs, right under where he had just stuck him with the steel rod. Zuko let out a howl, crumbling in towards himself at the pain of the impact. His head dropped and he could barely catch a breath against the new pain blossoming in his chest.

"Do that again, and I'll make sure I don't remove the rod next time."

Zuko glared up at Yura through his matted bangs and growled.

His tormentor brought the tip of the rod back to the torch and heated the tip so it glowed orange once more, then knelt down and pressed it right against the skin of his left pectoral. With a greasy smile, he asked once more, "Where is Princess Azula?"

When Zuko didn't respond, Yura shook his head as he clicked his tongue a few times, then slowly pushed the rod through Zuko's skin and in. Just like before, the pain exploded so forcefully that Zuko blocked out the sounds of his own screams, blinded and deafened by the pain from the intrusion in his chest. The heated metal felt as if it was melting his insides to the point that everything else just stopped. Breathing wouldn't come, neither would strength to fight against the foreign object.

The rod was retracted and Zuko gasped as he finally felt a small reprieve. The warmth of his blood spilled out of the wound and down his stomach, heating his skin just enough to shock him back into awareness. When the pain receded just slightly, Yura pressed his thumb right against the new opening and applied pressure. Zuko groaned and Yura grasped his chin so they were eye-to-eye once more.

"I will keep asking you until you tell me. There is no way to stop my plan, and the moment you cooperate things will be easier for you."

When Zuko didn't respond, Yura reared his hand back and backhanded him hard enough across his scar that his head spun. Zuko stared at his arm for a few moments before turning his head back to the front and down to the floor. Blood spilled out of the corner of his lip and down his chin, and he gave a weak laugh before looking up into Yura's eyes. "I'm not going to tell you anything."

"We'll see about that," the mercenary replied with an icy tone as he removed his finger from the wound and stood, going to the table against the wall and grabbing a new steel instrument. "And once you do, I will kill you. But I _will _get what I want first."

"If you kill me, and the whole world will go into chaos," Zuko said in between gasps for air, locking eyes with Yura and scowling slightly. "My people will demand retribution and they will blame the Earth Kingdom. The world will go to war again, I can guarantee that fact."

"That's my goal, Fire Lord," Yura stated as he tested the sharpness of a new forked rod, "and I assure you that war will break out. Especially if the whole royal family is taken out. Nobles within your country will fight for power, and the Earth King won't stand around and wait for another war to start because of a power-hungry and warmongering distant cousin of the dead Fire Lord will be on the throne. So he will most likely take his forces into your country and take over with Marshal Law while it's weak, and your people definitely won't like that. Riots will break out within the outlying islands, protests will erupt in the streets of the Capital. Your friends won't be able to stop it all like before, and chaos will reign, as it should. So, you're just putting off the inevitable by not telling me what I want."

Zuko kept a defiant glare on Yura as the man knelt and pressed the forked rod right above the starburst scar on his belly. The silent exchange passed between the two men before Yura sighed and shook his head. "Have it your way."

And the rod broke through his skin.

* * *

_tbc._

* * *

**_A/N _**_Thanks for sticking around this long, guys! I still appreciate reviews, so if you have the time to spare just write one out and let me know what you think about the story so far. I love feedback!_


	6. Remember

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

* * *

**Chapter Six: Remember**

* * *

Katara stepped into the Foundry and looked around, wary of what she would find. It was fairly busy for this type of establishment at the time of evening, seeing how the sun had set a little more than an hour ago. Raggedy men of all sizes took up tall tables, all carrying various weapons that appeared to have seen a fair amount of action. There were a few women hanging around, scantly clad and hanging on the arms of a burly man or two. The stench of alcohol and smoked herbs filled the air, along with thick and heavy smoke that hindered Katara's vision just enough where she couldn't see the back of the room.

She made her way to the bar, where there was a single seat that was open. She hoisted herself up, and almost immediately she garnered the attention of the bartender.

"Well, hello there, little lady," he practically purred, leaning onto the bar and flashing her a gleaming smile. "What can I get for you on this fine evening?"

Katara dug into her pocket and set a gold coin onto the bar, pushing it towards him and returning his smile with one of her own. "Some information."

He stared at the coin for a second, then snatched it up and stuffed it into his pocket. He glanced around the tavern for a moment and then leaned his elbows on the bar so he was closer towards her. "What would you like to know, sweet thing?"

"What can you tell me about the Xi Lang?"

He smirked and shook his head. "That you shouldn't get yourself tangled with a group like that. They like pretty girls like yourself, but they won't treat you any kinder than some bum off the street."

Katara frowned, but shrugged and replied innocently, "I don't want to get involved with them. I've heard about them, and I just want to know more."

The bartender studied her for a long moment, then sighed and pulled out a two glasses and a bottle of a dark amber colored liquor from underneath the bar. He poured them both a glass and took a sip out of his before taking a deep breath and saying, "The Xi Lang are a group of highly trained mercs. They answer to no one, and they're really pissed off right now. Since the war ended, they've been trying to rile up people to get some trouble started. Mainly in the former colonial area, just to get the people to fight back against the Fire Nation colonists that haven't moved back to the homeland."

"Do they have a leader?"

He laughed- a deep chortle that reminded her of Zuko in a way- and took another drink. "Curious one, aren't you?" He swallowed then shook his head. "Every militarized group has a general. And the Xi Lang answer to one man: Yura. In fact, he comes in here every time he's in town to recruit. The man is sadistic but he's a genius charmer. I think he leaves with at least two more people interested in his cause."

Katara leaned closer. "And what exactly is that?"

The bartender grinned, leaning closer as well- close enough that she could smell the liquor on his breath- and whispered, "I think I might need a little more incentive to tell you anything else."

There was a feral look in his eye that made her skin prickle and a shiver to run down her spine. To hide her reaction, she groaned and leaned back, taking her glass with her. Digging into her pocket, she procured another gold piece and placed it in front of him. "Fine. But you're going to tell me everything I want to know, deal?"

"Sure thing, honey," he replied in a velvet tone, sliding the gold piece into his pocket and pouring himself some more drink. After another sip, he answered, "Yura wants to start up the war again, I'm sure you've figured out by what I've already told you. I'm not exactly sure how, but he wants to frame the Earth Kingdom for an attack on the colonies so that the Fire Nation will retaliate. There's also a rumor that he's been planning on assassinating the Fire Lord in order to jump start it all. But, like I said, I'm not entirely sure."

Katara narrowed her eyes, tone accusatory as she stated, "You sure know a lot for a simple bartender."

He shrugged and gave her a sincere grin. "You hear a lot in places like this. Like how the Fire Lord had actually been here just a month ago, looking for someone."

Katara perked up at this, but tried to feign disinterest. "Oh, really? You happen to know who he was looking for?"

The bartender was silent for a moment, obviously deciding if this information was worth telling. She could see it in his eyes, the way he was weighing his options. Deciding if this bit of information was worthy of being told, or if she was worthy of it at all. After a few moments of deliberation, he closed his eyes and nodded once. "From what I gather, he was looking for his sister. He was pretty secretive about it, too, but followed her trail soon after getting here. The thing is, she _does_ come in here. But she doesn't quite have a '_trail_', more like a cycle."

One of Katara's eyebrows arched. "What do you mean?"

"She goes from town to town, hiding, and then comes back a couple weeks later. I noticed a woman coming around here every once in a while and then disappearing for a month at a time. I recognized her after her third visit, but didn't think it was worth starting a fuss. She just eats and gets a drink, then quietly leaves afterwards. She stays out of the way, and she does this so she doesn't get caught."

"When do you think she'll be back?"

The bartender turned around, looked at a calendar that was on the wall behind him, and then glanced back to her with a grin. "If I'm thinking right, she should be here later tonight. Why don't you come back later and see for yourself, Master Katara?"

She blanched and then reached for her water pouch on her hip, but the bartender shook his head and gave her another smile. "Don't worry, I won't let the others here know who you are. But you need to do a better job of doing it yourself. The tribal clothes aren't very well hidden under that cloak and if you're trying to find Princess Azula, you probably shouldn't be so obvious about your appearance."

Katara stared at him for a moment, flabbergasted, and then stood up from her spot, finished her drink with a grimace, and gave him a stiff bow. "Thank you for your help."

He winked at her without another word and went to attend to another customer as she turned on her heel and left the Foundry. The streets of Suta were vacant now, and her walk back to the inn was completely undisturbed. As soon as she slipped inside, however, she was surprised to see she was standing face to face with an irate looking Aang.

"Imagine my surprise when I go downstairs to find you," he began, brows furrowed with frustration and anger, "and you weren't here. And then, how shocked I was to hear you went to the Foundry! What were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt!"

Katara rolled her eyes, took off her hood, and put her hand on Aang's shoulder. "I went there to find some leads. Lan had said Zuko went there, and I didn't want to leave town and possibly miss something. And I'm glad I went there."

Aang tilted his head to the side and an eyebrow quirked to his arrow. "Why?"

With a smile, Katara replied, "I might have found Azula."

* * *

The familiar green glow was all around him, emanating from the crystals jutting out from the ground. He had been here before, a time long ago and tucked away in the depths of his worst memories. Something ached inside of him- another thing that was familiar- and Zuko dreaded and loathed how much it made him yearn. And the sight of her approaching him made his heart tighten and his stomach to flutter. He knew what she was offering, her mauve lips moving but no words coming out. She held up the vial, and her other hand lifted to his face.

Even now, he flinched at the absence of feeling and the juxtaposing knowledge of her touch. But he could feel her thumb on his lips, something he savored in his darkest and restless nights, and felt himself melt all over again. The soothing nature of her spirit calmed him down to his treacherous bones once more and all he wanted to do was take her face between his palms and kiss her until he couldn't breathe.

And this time he did.

Her lips parted for him, soft and yielding to him as he caressed her. He poured every ounce of pain and love he could have ever felt, plus any he knew he could feel at her hands. She melted into his body, pressing herself against him and vibrating with a hum of satisfaction. Though he couldn't hear her, he imagined the angelic sound of her voice as she broke the kiss and held him tight, like if he let go she would drift away into oblivion. He was sure that if he did and opened his eyes, he would too. He had to stay anchored, had to hold onto her like his life depended on it. He just _had _to. His heart was racing, his mind was whirling, his stomach was flipping. For once, he was happy. Happy enough to gather the strength to declare his undying devotion to this girl dressed in blue.

And when Zuko opened his eyes to do just that... the world around him had changed. The room was dark, and the ground beneath him was wet and cold as ice. There was no one in the room with him. He was all alone.

For the first time in years, Zuko cried.

* * *

Katara slipped inside the tavern later that night, inconspicuous and searching. The man said she would be here, but there was no sight of her anywhere. Most of the patrons here were still just the large men, chugging ales and laughing boisterously over a shared joke. A lithe figure like Azula's would stand out like a sore thumb in this place, unless she was making a sure effort to not be seen.

Or, she gulped at this thought, Azula had recognized the waterbender and bolted before they could talk.

She felt a little defeated. It was her task to find and save Zuko, but if she had the chance to finish the task he had set out to do in the first place, she would take it. It was the least she could do for him. But it seemed as if fate was not her friend, because the tavern appeared to not have Azula in attendance. Just as Katara turned to leave, downtrodden, her eyes landed on a figure in the back of the room- once blocked by a laughing man who had been flirting with a waitress. Though hidden in the shadows and by a black cloak and hood, Katara would recognize that regal posture and air of affluence anywhere.

She had found the Fire Princess.

After walking over, Katara slid into the booth, staring right at it's other occupant. Oddly familiar golden eyes seem to simmer under her drawn hood, and she appeared to be as touchy as a startled catdeer. Katara knew she needed to approach this with caution, just like a battle during the war. How funny was it that she was facing down someone she had to maintain that mindset with all the time, but for a different reason now.

"Azula?"

The person in question flinched, then she tilted her chin upwards to pin a fierce glare on the girl across from her. "It's _Princess_ Azula to you, peasant."

Katara let out a heavy breath as she ignored the barb and folded her hands together on top of the table. With a sigh, she gave Azula a warm smile. "I'm glad I found you."

"Why? Did Zuzu send you to take me out? He was always too weak to get his hands dirty..."

"No," Katara replied honestly, looking away as she frowned. "I'm actually looking for _him._ He... got captured a few months ago while looking for you and... I thought finding you would possibly help me get to him."

Azula smirked- in a way eerily similar to how Zuko did in his darker days- and flippantly flicked her wrist to grab the full glass in front of her. "Seems like something he would manage to do. Getting captured on his _noble _quest. Always unprepared."

"Well, I just want to bring him home," Katara paused as she glanced down to her hands, then looked up at the princess thoughtfully, "like he wanted to do for you."

Azula winced again, then look a long drink before setting down her cup with surprisingly delicate control. She glared at Katara, and the waterbender became aware of the bone-white grip Azula had on the glass. "What? So he can throw me in that mad house again? He won, I'm no longer in the picture and he can soak our mother's love with his new sister. I don't care anymore."

"_He_ cares. He wants to help you."

"Why would he?" the firebender snapped, her voice gaining enough volume for a few patrons of the tavern around them to turn and stare before going back to their own business. Even under the shade of her hood, Azula's eyes were sharp, focused right on Katara like a hawk's. The madness that had been there a year ago when she ran away was absent, but something was still off. Like she was afraid. In a low voice, Azula said, "I tried to kill him more times than I can count on both hands... He won. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Azula, he never saw it as a competition. You're his sister, and he loves you." Katara laughed a little, "He has a weird way of showing someone that he loves them, and you should count yourself lucky that he still cares enough for you to bring you home."

The princess snickered as she looked into her glass, murmuring, "You would know about him showing his love, right? Does your precious Avatar know?"

Katara's brow furrowed and she frowned. "Know what?"

"About what Zuko did for you during our Agni Kai?" Azula snidely replied. "No one would be that foolish to sacrifice themselves- especially if they're significantly more important- just for a friend. I'm surprised Mai didn't leave him sooner knowing about what he did."

"I don't understand..."

Azula's laugh was controlled, melodic in a manipulative and charming way that just made Katara shiver. "Right, I forgot you're the idiot in love. You wouldn't have noticed someone else's affections if they slapped you in the face."

Katara's scowl deepened. "What are you even talking about?"

Golden eyes narrowed and Azula leaned forward. "You must be really obtuse if you don't see it. I only saw you two together twice and I could see it. But then again, I'm a people person. You, on the other hand, probably worry too much about babying your boyfriend than to notice when another has an eye for you."

"_Excuse_ me?"

Azula rolled her eyes and took another drink out of her glass. "If it's so hard for you to understand what I'm saying, then there's no point even trying to explain anymore..." With a sigh, she set down the glass and folded her fingers under her narrow chin. "So... what exactly are you going to do with me? It doesn't seem like Zuko would be willing to let me roam around the palace after what happened."

"I'm not sure," Katara said with a shrug. "He never told us he was going to look for you. We found out through Iroh, and he's going to figure out what to do with you if you decide to go back to the Fire Nation."

The princess stared at her for a while before setting down her glass and clasping her hands together on the top of the table. Her voice was small, and very uncharacteristic of the once mighty leader. "Do you think Zuko will lock me up again?"

Smiling, Katara said sincerely, "I don't think so. He just wants you to get better, that's all. He probably is still wary of you, especially what both of you have been through, but I'm certain that if you both worked out your issues with each other, things might get better."

The silence between them stretched on, the sounds of the tavern mere background noise that didn't deter their stare-down. It was broken when Azula looked down to her glass and drank the remainder in one long gulp, a gesture that would have be undignified on any other person but was miraculously elegant when the princess did it. She stared at the empty cup for a long moment before pulling her hood off, revealing cropped hair pulled into what looked like a wolf's tail, and looking back into Katara's eyes.

"So when do we leave?"

* * *

_tbc._

* * *

**_A/N_**_ Found her! I had this part written almost before every other part of the story except the end. And for some reason, I just really yearn for some more Katara/Azula interactions. Especially after reading **The Search**, I felt they had so much potential for a great "relationship" of sorts. In a dysfunctional way. _

_Zuko had a hallunciation, if you didn't already guess. He's so out of it with his injuries and blood loss that he's imagining things. And if it wasn't plainly obvious yet, we're getting into the more shipping part of the story, where each half of our OTP is realizing/having it pointed out to them that they have feelings for each other. Next chapter will touch on it a little more, too._

_Until next time!_


	7. Reveal

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

_Sorry it took so long to upload! I was busy watching the playoffs and getting ready for my husband's surgery. Now since the Cardinals are out (leaving me devastated and anxious for March) I have a little more time to finish this story._

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Reveal**

* * *

She was staring straight at him, golden eyes appraising him in a way that made him pretty uncomfortable. Sokka shrank back from her gaze, trying his best to avoid- or even hide from- it. There was something about it that just made his skin prickle and the tiny hairs on his neck to stand on end. He was about to say something to her when she spoke first.

"You cut your hair."

That threw him off, and he felt his eyebrows shoot up to his hairline as he replied in an undignified squeak, "What?"

She rolled her eyes and huffed, "Please, are you deaf as well as stupid? I said you cut your hair. When did you do that?"

Sokka glowered as he ran his hands along the shaved undersides of his hair. "Actually, right after the comet. I'm surprised you didn't notice before... considering we saw each other just a year ago."

Azula paused, looking as if she had been surprised, then nibbled on her lip slightly before shrugging carelessly. "I really wasn't paying attention then... It looked better before. Like how you had it when we saw each other during the eclipse."

"Huh?" He arched a brow as he looked back to her as she stared over the railing and out to the ocean. "Why do you say that?"

She shrugged and played with the end of her bangs. "You looked more mature. I've seen the men of your tribe before and the older ones always had longer hair."

Sokka stared at her for a long moment before blinking slowly and replying, "Well thanks, I guess? But I just prefer having the sides shaved better than having it grown out. It seems more... I don't know-"

"You?"

He watched her as she turned and stared at him with those piercing eyes, softer than they had been when they first encountered one another years ago, and the edge that had been there during their last encounter was also completely absent. She looked... normal, for once. When Katara told him that he and Toph would be escorting the princess back to the Fire Nation, Sokka had been skeptical. He really didn't want to split up from Aang and his sister after just reuniting with them, and he knew they could take care of themselves. Just the thought of being alone with Azula made him uneasy. He had expected the same insane girl that had jumped from Appa while he was flying and had attacked her own mother before fleeing into a spirit-infested forest. Not this docile and even-tempered woman.

He almost hadn't recognized her when Katara brought her to the inn, and he wouldn't have if Toph hadn't gotten on the offensive and jumped in front of him. Azula's hair had been haggardly cut to her chin, much like Suki's, and her skin had a healthy glow shining from underneath a thin layer of dirt. Her eyes were clear and analyzing as she sized him up. It was weird seeing the Fire Princess appearing not... evil.

"Yeah," he conceded, looking out to the ocean. "I guess it is more me, isn't it?"

Azula didn't reply, but her silence was a type of solace that calmed him.

It was strange, to say the least.

* * *

_"I'm not really sure how I feel about it, Katara," Zuko said, back to her and eyes looking out towards his city. His hair was now out of its topknot, billowing in the wind, and he was still dressed in his travelling clothes. There was a sagging of his shoulders that was a result of something more than physical exhaustion._

_Walking to stand next to him, she replied softly, "I think in time you'll be more happy about finding her. It'll be tough for a while, I think, just because of how things happened."_

_"I wish they didn't happen this way..."_

_"Maybe it's better that things _did_ happen this way," she reasoned, turning towards him and giving him a hopeful smile. "Now she gets the life she had always wanted. She's with the one she loves."_

_"And what about me?" he spat bitterly. "The son from a marriage of duty? From a relationship without love? For all I know, she will never love me as much as she would love Kiyi, because of who my father is."_

_"Zuko don't you dare say things like that!" she snapped, causing him to turn to her and raise his eyebrow in shock. "She is your mother! She will love you with all of her heart, no matter who is your dad!"_

_He scowled. "Right. She hates my father. And she left me_ willingly _with him. Look at what happened to me because she was gone! Look at _Azula_! She left us, and chose to forget that we even existed! What kind of mother does that to her own children?!"_

_She stared at him, saddened by his anger. It was justified, sure, but maybe he was looking at this all from the wrong angle. Maybe Aang could convince him to see the good in the situation. She personally couldn't defend Ursa's actions. In all honesty, she was totally siding with Zuko. No mother should abandon her children. She could have done something else to save them. At least, Katara would do so for her own if it came down to that._

_"Katara, she may be my mother," Zuko stated as he turned to look at the city again, cutting through her thoughts, "and I love her... But I have every right to be mad at her. I may stay mad at her for a while."_

_Sighing, she put a hand on his arm. He stiffened slightly, but relaxed into her touch and turned to look at her fully again. His eyes were soft and warm as he looked at her, such a turnaround from how hard they were when he talked of his mother as of late. Despite the fact that they had been talking about Ursa, Katara could feel tears in her eyes as she thought of her own mother. How she would be so pained when she was brought up and how she wouldn't get that same closure as Zuko. She gave him a watery smile and murmured in a frank tone, "It'll take time to get used to each other again. But I think you'll realize it was worth the pain, because you at least got your mother back."_

_He gave her a sad look, then wordlessly took her by the shoulders to pull her into a hug. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his middle and she pressed her face into his chest, breathing in that familiar smell of his- something like jasmine, bergamot, and vanilla, all subtle under his musk. She hadn't hugged him like this since after his Agni Kai with Azula. Since then, they never really had a reason to. But still, it felt right being in his arms like this, being comforted for their shared grief. Her lack of reunion and happy-ish ending. It felt so right that she felt almost guilty about being here. There was something she couldn't put a finger on, but it tugged on her heart in a way that made her seriously wonder why she hadn't been hugging him more._

_"I'm sorry," he whispered against the hair covering her ear, hot breath tickling the shell and the back of her neck. "I shouldn't be complaining. It was selfish of me."_

_She shook her head and inhaled heavily. "You were let down. I understand why you would be upset."_

_"But I shouldn't have been complaining to you of all people."_

_She snorted and pulled away, looking into his eyes with a wry grin. "It doesn't matter. You were there for me when I sought out answers. And I was here for you when you wanted the same. We're even now, alright?"_

_He smirked with a chuckle and pulled her back to his chest. "Fine. We're even."_

"Hey, Katara!"

She jolted to attention, realizing she had been daydreaming for a good while now. Last she recalled, the sun was still pretty high in the sky. But now it was starting to disappear behind the mountains in the distance. She rubbed her eyes, sat up straight, and scooted towards the front of the saddle. "Yeah, Aang?"

"Do you think we'll find the people holding Zuko in this next town?"

Katara glanced out towards the world blurring by and she frowned, the memory of the past fading away. Shrugging, she turned back towards Aang and leaned on the lip of the saddle. "Maybe. This part of the Earth Kingdom is usually busy with bandits and mercenaries for hire. There's always the possibility of running into Yura and tracking down where he took Zuko."

Aang had nodded once, then his shoulders slumped. "I feel like we're chasing shadows. There's barely any real leads and all we've been learning are from month-old rumors. If Lan said was right, then this group isn't just some ragtag kids like the Freedom Fighters. They're legitimate paid killers. Their specialties are pain and death."

"What do you think we'll have to do once we find them?"

The '_if' _was unsaid, but heavily implied. Katara could feel it dragging down both of their spirits. They were running out of time, and though finding Azula and sending her home was a single success in a series of what could be considered failures, they were starting to believe that they might not be able to save their friend. The thought of his warm and rare smile, fading into black, flashed through Katara's mind and she couldn't stop the painful twist in her gut or the shiver that ran up her back. In her wildest dreams, she never would imagine Zuko being lost to them all. And now she might not be able to stop it from happening.

"I don't know... but we will find Zuko. I promise, Katara."

As Katara looked away from Aang, she couldn't shake the feeling that he had just lied to her.

* * *

Azula stepped onto the plank that led to the dock, where Iroh was standing rigidly with a pair of Kyoshi Warriors standing behind him. They were both tense, as if they were waiting for her to attack them or Iroh. Or Spirits-forbid, run. She smirked to herself, knowing very well that they wouldn't stand a chance against her. It wasn't like she hadn't taken them out before, and now that her mind was clearer, she could do it again.

Upon further investigation when she approached, she recognized them as Suki and Ty Lee. She kept herself from scowling at her traitorous ex-best friend, because Iroh was approaching her with arms extended and a tight smile on his face. Behind him, Suki was embracing the Water Tribe peas- Sokka- and Ty Lee was joking with the Beifong girl.

"Azula," Iroh started, putting his hands on her shoulders- but keeping her at a distance- and squeezing her gently. "It is so great that you have returned home."

Eyes narrowing, she frowned and slapped his hands away. "Uncle, what are you doing?"

Iroh gave her a curious look, then smiled again and tucked his hands into his sleeves. "My dear niece, I'm welcoming you back home."

Azula glared at him pointedly as she spat, "Cut the crap, Uncle. I know you're going to take me back to that _prison_."

She hadn't heard Sokka approach, but as soon as his hand was on her shoulder, she stiffened and turned her head to pin him down with her stare. She had a talent of making him uneasy, and she used it to her advantage. He flinched away from her and back towards Suki, but he still dared to speak, smiling at her with an odd air of confidence. Like he was no longer truly afraid of her. "Take it easy, Azula. We're just going to go back to the palace."

Iroh nodded and stepped forward again. "We'll wait for Zuko to come home to decide what the best choice for you will be."

"And if he doesn't?" Azula ground out through gritted teeth, on edge and a little bitter. She knew what that answer would be, but seeing everyone around her tense up at the thought of their precious Fire Lord not coming home gave her a sick sense of pleasure. Instead of waiting for any reply, Azula hauled her rucksack over her shoulder and went straight to the rickshaw waiting for them at the beginning of the path that led back to the palace. It's not like any of them could stop her from leaving if he never came back.

Because if Zuko died, she had no reason to stay.

* * *

This small tavern was dimly lit by a fireplace in the back of the room. From under her cloak, Katara could spot a handful of shady-looking men scattered around, drinking and talking between themselves. They paid no heed to her when she entered, yet she could still feel the prickling sensation of being watched. She ignored it, as soon as she spotted a good place to eavesdrop and made her way over. She propped herself up on the stool at the bar, staring down the bartender from under her hood as he spoke with the drunkard-looking man sitting next to her, sharing a drink with him as they chatted.

"... and I just think we need the rain pretty badly," he had said with a huff. "It's been a little over a month since the last time anything came through."

"Wasn't that when Yura came in?" the other man asked, words slurring together. "Asking about them suppressants?"

"Shut your mouth, man!" the bartender looked around in a panic, eyes thankfully never settling on Katara. "You can't be just talking freely about that kind of stuff, Shondo."

"Sorry, Rikon."

"Go clean up and go to bed," Rikon scoffed as he took Shondo's full glass and swigged the remaining contents without the slightest grimace. He looked up to the rest of the bar and shouted, "Last call for the night!"

The chatter around the tavern increased for a long moment and Katara leaned towards him and set down a silver piece. "Would you happen to have arctic sherry?"

Rikon glanced at her for a moment, trying to look under the hood of her cloak, but nodding when he couldn't succeed. He poured her drink, took her coin, and set a full glass in front of her and turning away towards the dishes he had started to clean. After taking a sip, Katara took off her hood.

"Rikon, is it?" she said sweetly. The man nodded and she smiled. "I'm Kita, nice to meet you."

He eyed her warily at first, then bowed his head in greeting with a warm smile. "Pleasure."

"The pleasure is all mine. Are you from around here?"

Rikon nodded again and took the towel out of a glass and he grabbed a plate to clean next. "I am... Why do you ask? Most pretty things like yourself don't come to places like this unless they're with someone or looking for someone. So which are you?"

"Looking for someone," Katara replied as she swirled her finger around the edge of her cup, causing the liquid inside to spin with it. "I thought that a local might be able to point me in the right direction."

He narrowed his eyes at her and then looked down at her glass, fear becoming evident as he watched her drink move. "Depends... on who you're looking for."

When they locked eyes again, Katara gave him a wicked gleam before leaning forward and whispering, "I think you know _exactly _who I'm looking for."

That seemed to throw Rikon a little, and he swallowed thickly before glancing around the tavern and then back to her. He narrowed his eyes as he hissed, "Look, I don't think I can tell you what you want. The people of this town rarely ever entertain tourists like yourself, and I'm certain you should just give up this little quest of yours and go back home. You won't find what you're looking for here."

Katara stared at him for a long moment, lips pursing in thought. This guy was sure to stay strong and not budge under some flirtation like the last man. She realized he wouldn't give her any information without force, and she didn't want to attract too much attention inside the tavern. She'd had to get Rikon outside so she and Aang could get the information out of him, and quick. With a sigh, she drank the last of her cup and looked up at Rikon, giving him that sweet smile again. "Well that's a shame. Thanks for the drink, Rikon. I hope you have a pleasant evening."

He stared at her, confused, as she stood as left the tavern. For good measure, she glanced over her shoulder at him as she walked through the door and winked. In her experience, no man could resist her charm to a full extent. They might be able to deter it for a while, but if she pressed enough they would buckle. And right now she was still always right. His cheeks reddened and she gave him a grin before pulling her hood back up and disappearing out of the door. When she rounded the corner of the building, Aang was waiting for her, tucked under his own cloak, and she sighed once they were standing together.

"I found someone who might be able to tell us where they took Zuko. But we might have to force it out of him..."

Aang's eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly. "We can't do that, Katara."

"Well what do you suggest, then?" she snapped, crossing her arms and scowling as she blew out a heavy sigh. "He wouldn't tell me, even when I flirted with him-"

"You flirted with him?"

"-and I'm pretty sure this group is going to be pretty difficult to track down-"

Aang sniffed the air and shot her a look of veiled disgust. "Did you drink alcohol while you were in there? You know how bad that is for you, Katara."

Ignoring him as she rolled her eyes, she continued, "They seemed to be organized enough to have secrecy about certain people coming through. The guy mentioned Yura, so we know he's the one who can give us some answers."

Before Aang could open his mouth again to debate with her, Katara spotted Rikon rounding the corner of the tavern, his dishrag still in his hands and eyes searching. She popped open her water skin and shot out a water whip, wrapping it around his waist and pulling him towards their hiding place in the dark.

Rikon's eyes widened in shock when he recognized her and was about to scream when she gripped his shirt and pushed him against the wall. "I tried to be nice, but obviously that won't get me anywhere. So you're going to tell me: Where did Yura take Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Fire Lord Zuko? Why are you looking for him?" He sounded uneasy, as if he was feigning innocence horribly. He swallowed thickly as he looked over her shoulder and spotted Aang, and his jaw dropped. "Wait.. You're the Avatar..." He looked back to her. "And you're Master Katara!"

"And _you _are going to tell us what we want to know," she said lowly. When he didn't reply, Katara slammed him against the wall and shouted in his face, "_Tell me where he is!_"

"I don't know, I swear!" Rikon sputtered. "Yura took him to his secret hideout sometime after they came through town to get the bending suppressant herbs from me! I swear I dunno where that is!"

She bared her teeth and tightened her grip on his shirt. "You're _lying."_

The man started to cry, a real moose-lionheart this one was, and whimpered, "I really don't know! He doesn't tell us lower ranks where operations are."

"Katara-"

She shoved him against the wall once more, ignoring Aang's soft plea, and snarled, "I can see it in your eyes. So we have two choices here: either you tell me where Yura is keeping Fire Lord Zuko or I will _make _you tell me. And I'm very persuasive when push comes to shove."

The man starting crying again, "Please! I don't know anything! All I know is that they captured the Fire Lord on the Shao Pass leading to Full Moon Bay! Other than that, no one but his commanding officers know exactly where the hideout is!"

With a growl, Katara smacked Rikon's head on the stone and he fell limp against the wall, unconscious. She turned away from him, disgusted, and looked straight into Aang's sad, gray eyes. His disappointment was evident and he looked as if he was about to cry. With a sigh, she pushed past him and walked over to where Appa was hiding in the forest behind the tavern. She didn't have time to coddle him. They had business to finish.

"Let's just go."

She was already in the saddle when Aang finally decided to leap up onto Appa's head and take the reins. He snapped them and Appa took off towards the east, where they knew the Shao Pass started. Their ride was silent, tense with the foreboding knowledge of what they might encounter on the way to Full Moon Bay.

It was almost dawn when they reached the beginning of the trail. And as they flew, Katara could see a circle of vultures flying on the horizon. Her eyes narrowed, and there was an uncomfortable tightness in her chest. Vultures had a foreboding way of being near anything dead.

"Katara! Look!"

She looked over the edge of the saddle to where Aang was pointing. Below the circling birds, in the middle of the dirt path in the valley in between the trees, was a cluster of dark masses. Appa dove and landed on the edge of the forest, and Katara slid down his legs before running towards the mess. The stench of decomposition hit her pretty hard and she had to stop herself from gagging when she knelt down in the dirt. Limbs were scattered around the trail from scavengers getting their meals, but in the center of the mess was what Katara had assumed was a torso. There was an arrow protruding out of a part of what should have been the back and blood stained the cracked dirt beneath it.

"Is that-?"

Katara didn't listen as she gripped the shoulder of the body and rolled it over, revealing what she assumed had been the face of Shun. The eyes were picked out and skin was falling off of the bones, where maggots crawled around trying to find their next meal. Most of the body was decomposed, or eaten away, but a small clasp with a five-pronged golden flame on a black circle- the emblem of the Fire Lord's private guard- on the front of his torn and ratty black cloak gave away his identity. With a gag, she nodded and stood up, wiping her hands on her skirt and looking towards the rising sun.

"They must have been where they were ambushed," Aang said as he knelt down and brushed his hands over some dirt, running it through his fingers. "It hasn't rained in months, so any other clues couldn't have been washed away, yet." He stood and pointed towards where Katara was already looking. "Look."

She was sprinting towards the darkened patch of earth when she had registered what Aang had said. It was a good distance away, but she skidded to a halt and knelt down, running her hands over it and choking on her words. "Aang... this is dried blood... It could be his."

Aang trotted over and frowned as he looked down to her. When she looked up, tears in her eyes, he put his hand on her shoulder. "He'll be fine, Katara."

"This is a lot of blood, Aang," she whispered, voice wobbling. "Whoever fell here and bled... they're either dead or pretty damn close to it."

She looked off to the side, and her eyes narrowed when she spotted something near the lining of the trees. With the tears still in her eyes, she stood and climbed up the rocky slope of the hill until she reached the top. There were two trees, both with bark that was scraped off and a few branches had been snapped, barely attached to the trunk. Aang had walked up behind her and touched his hand to the scar in the tree.

"What do you think this is from?"

Katara touched her hand to it as well and looked up, spotting another similar missing patch of bark a little higher and to the right. She pinched her lips to the side as she€ replied, "Someone climbed this tree. Probably to wait for Zuko and Shun to show up and take them out."

"How many people do you think were waiting?" Aang whispered, almost nervously. "We need to know what we're up against."

She sighed and ran her hand over her face. "They took Shun out with an arrow to his back. And Zuko probably got hit, too, and they took him to their hideout. This Yura guy wasn't intending on killing him yet... But I have a feeling we don't have enough time to figure out why."

Aang put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a hug, pressing his lips onto her forehead. "We'll find him. I promise."

"How, Aang?" she snapped as she pushed him away and glared at him, tears swelling in her eyes and starting to fall down her cheeks. "We have no leads, no clues or evidence pointing us where to go... Zuko is probably about to die and we have no idea how to find him! How are we going to save him if-"

She cut herself off when she looked to the ground and saw several imprints in the dirt, like they had been made when the dirt was still mud. Multiple people must have stepped here and made a trail heading towards the inside of the forest. It looked as if something had been dragged along there, as well.

"Aang. Look..."

He looked down and saw what she had seen, eyes following the trail as it disappeared within the trees. Katara knelt down next to the tracks and ran her fingers over the grooves of the indent. "These aren't fresh... but they look like they were made after the last rain."

"Rikon had said the last time it rained was around the time Zuko disappeared..."

Her tears dried with her new sense of purpose and she looked back to Aang, feeling her resolve harden again. They locked eyes and nodded with assurance. Together, they followed the tracks into the forest and prayed it would lead them to their friend.

* * *

_tbc._

* * *

**_A/N_**_ Yay, Azula is home. I know that there is a possibility of her behavior being construed as "OOC", but we have no way of knowing how she would behave in all honesty. She has gone on a path of healing- one we will learn about more later- and has changed as a person. I see her interactions with some of the characters as being how she would be without the psychotic tendencies and the desire for world domination._

_Up next, saving Zuko._

_Until next time!_


	8. Defeated

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Defeated**

* * *

Aang led Katara through the foliage, lighting the way with a flame in the palm of his hand. The canopy was so dense that the understory was as dark as a moonless night. The ground was sparsely covered with fallen leaves and dried twigs that snapped and crunched under Katara's and Aang's boots. He had been awfully quiet since they entered the forest, practically giving her the cold shoulder as he went in the direction the footprints had gone. Every once in a while, he would shoot out a blast of air that moved the leaves out of the way of the worn and beaten path leading between the trees.

About three hours into their hike, Aang stopped walking and rounded on his heels so he was face to face with Katara. She hid her surprise with an arch of her eyebrow, silently asking him what he was doing. He sighed as he propped his staff against his shoulder and ran his hand over his head and then down his face."I think we're been walking in circles."

"I don't think so," she countered. "We've been staying on the path, right?"

He nodded, then sighed again, "Do you have any idea where we are?"

She shook her head, resisting the urge to say _'of course I don't I've never been here, you dolt'_. Instead, she honed in on her surroundings. It was impossible to tell exactly where they were, even with a map. Though, she could sense water, a lot of it, but she had no idea what it was or how close they were to it. She hypothesized that they were following a river, or at least approaching one. She looked up towards the canopy and squinted before tilting her head towards Aang slightly. "Can you jump up to the top of the trees and find out?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him nod and then leap up the closest tree, jumping from branch to branch with the nimble grace of a flying lemur. He disappeared above the trees for a couple of minutes before bounding back down and landing next to her with a cushion of air.

"It looks like the the Serpent's Pass is in the distance," he said as he readjusted his shirt. "I can't be too sure, but it looks like it."

"Really? I thought we would have been too far north to see that," Katara rebuffed, frowning at him.

Aang shook his head and relit the fire in his palm, bringing his face into sharp contrast with the shadows the flame created. "The western lake is on the horizon. I'm pretty sure of it. And there's a clearing about two miles northeast from here."

Katara looked down at the path; it was heading in that very direction. With a smile, she looked back to Aang and grasped his wrist. "We might just know where Yura's hideout is."

He gave her a tight-lipped smile in return before pulling his hand out of her grip and following the path. With a frown, she jogged up behind him and hugged herself.

"Look," she started, "I'm sorry about earlier."

Without looking back at her, he replied, "Why would you be sorry?"

Katara blew out a heavy breath and squeezed her eyes shut. He was avoiding this conflict, she could tell just by the tone of his voice. So instead of dropping it, she pressed on, "For snapping at you. And hurting Rikon so he would give us information. And-" She stopped herself. She really didn't know why she was apologizing, because she really wasn't sorry for doing what she did. She did what she had to in order to find Zuko, no matter what it would be. Frowning even deeper, she realized at that moment that she was really apologizing to spare his feelings. She would always do this. Just to make him happy and keep him from being upset. It was practically her duty to keep him happy. Did that really mean apologizing if she didn't mean it? With a heavy sigh, she figured she was about to find out. "Actually, I'm not sorry about that. At all. I did what I had to to find out where they were keeping Zuko. And if you are mad at me about that, then I'm sorry that you feel that way. But you know that I'll do whatever it takes to help our friends and if you have a problem with how I do it then-"

Aang stopped in his tracks and Katara ran into his back.

"Aang-?"

"Shush!"

Lowering her voice, she peeked over his shoulder. "What is it?"

The flame in his hand went out and took Katara by the wrist to pull her behind a bush. She was about to ask him again what was going on, but the sound of approaching footsteps, coming from the direction they had been walking towards, silenced her entirely. As they got louder, Katara held her breath. The sound of her heartbeat matched the tempo of their steps, but it seemed so much louder. Like a drum being slammed in her ears with every single beat.

"... said that the Fire Nation didn't give the ransom, so Yura's gonna take action."

"He's not even going to wait?"

They stopped walking, and we standing right by the bush- only a foot away from where Katara was lying on the ground beneath the bush.

"He wanted to do it sooner, but he wanted to know where Princess Azula was first so he could do it all at once," the first man said.

"Like in one fell swoop?"

"Yeah, problem is the princess is back in the Fire Nation."

"Who says?"

"Yura has a spy. Turns out she went on a boat heading out yesterday morning and shoulda gotten there sometime last night."

They started walking again, but their trailing words hit Katara right in the heart and spread through her veins like ice.

"So he's just going to kill the Fire Lord at sundown, makin' a big show of it, too. I just wish we could see it instead of going into town to buy some food for everyone. I hate being a lackey, it's so..."

She couldn't hear what was said after, not because of their distance but because of the sounds of her own panicked breathing and the crunching of leaves beneath Aang's feet as he stood and pulled her out of the brush.

"Katara-"

"We have to hurry, Aang. We have to save him."

Without another word, she sprinted in the direction the men had come from, dodging branches and leaping over roots. Aang caught up with her easily and went ahead of her, so his back was to her. It irked her more than it normally would, maybe because she wanted to get to Zuko first. Or the fact that she was always behind him, never ahead for too long. She couldn't explain it at the moment, but regardless of her irritation she couldn't catch up to him. And it spurred her even harder than she could have imagined.

Again, he skidded to a halt and she ran into his back. Together, they toppled to the ground and into a thick bush. They scrabbled to stand, limbs tangled with each other and joints running into stomachs and faces. After a moment of bumbling around and struggling to get to their feet, Katara and Aang finally managed to separate and brush themselves off. Aang had a dark red blush on his cheeks, which Katara tried to ignored, and he bent over to pick up his dropped staff.

They reached the clearing, and ahead of them was a modest-looking building. It was bleached from the sun, yet the structure looked as if it was brand new. No one was outside, which seemed strange to Katara, and it only took her a minute to uncork her canteens and cloak her arms with water. Before she knew it, she was sprinting towards the building with all of her might.

And with a shout of fury, she sent a powerful wave of water at the door- blasting it open for her assault.

* * *

_"So what happens now?"_

_He looked down at her, arms still encircling her to his body, and he let out a deep breath. "I'm not sure... I guess I get back to being Fire Lord. Spirits know Uncle probably is already tired of it all." Katara chuckled at that, vibrating and rubbing against his body in an odd way that made his breath hitch in his throat and his mouth to go dry. Swallowing, he continued, "I know that there's been some unrest in the colonies after Yu Dao succeeded, so I need to look into that..."_

_Katara tilted her head up, bumping her head against his chin, and replied, "Things will never be simple for all of us, will it? Either we're ending a war, preventing a new one from starting, searching for AWOL moms with memory issues..."_

_Zuko let out a soft laugh, and loosened his grip on her. They separated and he rubbed the back of his neck as he looked out towards the city again. "I guess that's the price of wanting peace. You have to do everything yourself."_

_She nodded as she agreed, grinning at him. "It's not like we have any choice, right?"_

_"True."_

_"And if we didn't do all of these things, it seems like nothing would ever get done."_

_Zuko groaned and rubbed his eyes, feeling weariness take over him. "Yeah, because I'm pretty sure the only thing Uncle managed to do while I was gone would probably be increase the amount of tea in the kitchens and redecorate my room."_

_Katara smirked as she giggled, "It needed to be fixed up anyway."_

_Feeling his cheeks heat, Zuko's eyes widened as he turned back towards her and sputtered, "When did you see my room?!"_

_Her laughter grew and she propped her hands on her hips, jutting them to the side and making them look even more curvy than before. Had she always had such a slender waist? And since when did she have such wide hips? Was her shirt tighter across the chest than it was the last time he saw her? Why the hell was he noticing these things in the first place?!_

_"I was in there after the Agni Kai, dummy."_

_With a huff and a haughty grin, Zuko replied, "I don't sleep in that room anymore. In fact, I sleep in a completely secret place in the palace."_

_"Let me guess," she started with a smirk, one that pulled her full lips and showed her white teeth. "Eastern tower, top floor."_

_His eyes bulged and he coughed. "H-how did you figure that out?"_

_She shrugged, smile turning to something more wistful and pensive. "You're a sunrise type of guy. I bet that on nights you can't sleep, you go sit on your balcony and watch the sun rise. I remember seeing you do that before the war was over and it just sticks as something you always do."_

_"You must know me pretty well to guess that," he said softly, looking up at her through his bangs and lashes. "I thought my insomnia wasn't a public thing."_

_Katara stared at him, blue eyes imploring, and she murmured slowly, "Zuko, I know you. There's nothing you can hide from me."_

The door creaked open, and Zuko barely had the mind to notice it. He kept staring at the floor, eyes unfocused and tired. He didn't understand why he was imagining these things, whether it be real or just a fake desire from his subconscious. He was starting to believe some of the random scenarios his mind played out. But what he just thought of had been real, and it had been one of the last things Katara had said to him before Aang had found them and took her away from him. He couldn't figure out why he kept thinking of her. Maybe it was the desperation of wanting to be found, or the desire to have something that was out of his reach. Either way, his mind was whirling with the thought of his best friend.

All he wanted was to see her again.

"I hope you've thought things over," Yura said to him, slightly shaking him from his reverie. "I would hate to have to keep dragging this out."

Zuko didn't lift his head to glare. He was too tired to even bother. Instead, he just kept his mouth shut. That was the most defiant thing he could do in his state. His body didn't want to move, it even protested every breath he took. Chills made him shake, and every single shiver would cause all of his wounds scream in pain. He felt hot all the time.

He didn't have to be a healer to know he was dying.

"It's a shame you don't want to cooperate," Yura cooed to him, just as the sound of metal scraping against the table hit Zuko's ears. "Telling me what I want to know will make everything better for you."

"Knowing... that you're... losing... is satisfaction... enough..."

That barb must have stuck, because Yura knelt into Zuko's line of vision and gripped his chin. Once his head was hoisted up, he blinked blearily at his captor and felt the flare of a small victory when he saw the impatient and angry scowl on Yura's face. He would have smiled, but he didn't even have the energy to do that.

"I won't hesitate to slit your throat when the time comes. If only I could do it sooner."

Zuko managed to let out a bitter chuckle. Death would be a sweet relief, something his body has been begging for. He couldn't go on anymore, even with the hope of his friends coming to save him. No amount of wishing would get them here. There was no way they could know how to find him, no way to find Yura and his men.

Not even Katara's precious hopebending would get him out of here.

Suddenly, there was a clamor upstairs, something that made Yura jump- letting go of Zuko's chin in the process- and curse as he looked up towards the ceiling. As Zuko's head dropped and he stared at the floor, he heard some frantic shuffling coming from the table and then the hair on the back of his head was gripped. Yura yanked it back so they could look at each other, but Zuko could barely focus enough to even notice the color of Yura's eyes.

"I'll be back. Just sit tight and I'll make sure you get that release you want so badly."

With his final word, Yura tied a cloth around Zuko's head and shoved it into his mouth- effectively gagging him. And just when Zuko thought he would leave without another word, Yura pierced his stomach with a dagger, causing a flare of agony to spread all over his torso. He pulled out the knife just as quickly, creating a whole new wave of horrid sensations; something Zuko thought he couldn't feel anymore after the other wounds Yura inflicted. But before Zuko could even register the immense and growing pain blossoming in his body or the warmth of his blood spilling out of his new wound, Yura palmed his forehead and shoved him back against the wall.

Everything went black.

* * *

Katara charged through the unhinged door with a tremendous shout of fury and was immediately met with six armed men- all unprepared for her sudden intrusion. They didn't have the time to be shocked or even to react to her, because she swept them up and against the walls of the entryway with her bending water. Aang came in behind her- armed with his staff in one hand and water coiled around the other- and sprinted to the next room as she froze the now shouting men in their places. She covered their mouths with more ice and went to the man closest to her on her right. Thawing the ice, she gripped his hair and pulled it tight so he was looking up at her.

"_Where is he?!"_

The man chuckled, blood tinting his teeth, and spat, "He's probably dead by now. Your boisterous entrance sealed his tomb, water wench."

She snarled and slammed his head against the wall before turning on her heel and heading towards the room Aang had entered not a minute before. As soon as she passed the doorway and entered the large and open sitting room, she was instantly assaulted with a barrage of knives, some cutting through her clothes and slicing her skin. With no time to heal herself, she sent a wave of ice daggers in the direction the knives had come from- not caring if they hit their target or not. She was busy focusing on Aang, who was busy himself with leaping over a meteor hammer and pushing its owner away with a blast of air.

Once he landed, he turned in her direction and surprise filled his features before he shouted, "Katara watch out!"

Just in time, she whirled around to see a man slicing in her direction with a Jian sword. She bent backwards out of the sword's path, then dipped to her left as he swung downwards. With his side vulnerable to her, she sent a water whip against his ribs and he went flying towards the opposite wall. She then could hear some shouting coming from down the hallway to her right. Together, she and Aang turned towards the noise and readied themselves for the oncoming assault.

Joining the two men Katara had defeated and the three Aang had taken out were five more mercenaries, funneling out of the hall and into the larger sitting room. Equipped with various types of swords, axes, and knives, the group stared down the two benders with malicious intent. The man with the Jian sword and the other with the throwing knives both stood and regathered themselves, as did the three Aang had defeated. Ten men were staring down Katara and Aang, all with the desire to kill.

But the Avatar and the waterbending master didn't have the same idea. Take them down, but don't take their lives. That's how Aang said it needed to be done.

Katara pulled all of her water to her sides and out into the octopus form- water tentacles waving as they awaited an attack. Aang twirled his staff, pointing the end towards the group of men in front of them and narrowed his eyes. Katara could tell he was sizing up their opponents- seeking out weaknesses and easy ways to defeat them without too much harm. It was how he battled, how he would win.

Two of the mercenaries sprung forward with their weapons drawn. A sword was heading towards Aang, a hammer towards Katara. Together, she and Aang both dodged the first strikes before attacking on their own. Aang twirled on his foot- a move Zuko had taught him- and sent out a wave of fire towards the feet of his enemy. Katara took a tendril of her water and wrapped it around the wrist of her opponent and tossed him over her head towards the opposite side of the room. While her back was turned, she heard another attacker approach and she dropped to the floor so he tripped over her leg and flipped onto his back. She quickly froze his wrists to the floor and turned to face the rest of the gang.

Then a new enemy appeared from the hall and once Katara got a good look at him, her heart stopped dead in her chest.

His shirt was stained with the bright red of someone's blood, and the knife in his hand was covered with the same fluid. It dripped down the handle and onto the man's clenched fist. He looked livid when he stared at her, as if he was interrupted with something, but that didn't register with Katara. She knew the moment she saw him that he was Yura. As soon as she realized whose blood must be on his clothes and that knife, she saw red.

Yura smiled and thrust the knife into the wall, the blood that had been dripping down the blade now staining the white and dripping down. He stepped forward, signalling for his men to stand down as he sized up the two benders in front of him. "I see that the rumors were true. Master Katara did come for her _little_ prince. I'm sorry to say that you're a little late, dear. I believe I just killed him myself."

Rage reared it's ugly head as it bubbled to the forefront of her mind. Something snapped, and Katara disregarded any qualms she had with hurting these men. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a surge of fury-induced power flare at her fingertips. This man had hurt her friend.

And he needed to pay.

Before she could stop herself, she grabbed eleven bodies with her bending- feeling their blood and tugging on their limbs like they were marionettes- and lifted them into the air. The pure hatred and anger boiling in her own veins strengthened her beyond what she though was possible, and blinded her with furious rage. She didn't notice the agonizing fear in her enemy's eyes, or Aang's horrified expression as he watched her fling the ten nameless men against the walls around them. The sickening thunk and crunch of broken bones echoed around the room as she lifted Yura higher, leaving him to suffer the most.

"Where is Fire Lord Zuko?" she demanded, voice low as she glared up towards Yura's suspended body.

He struggled against the invisible bonds and he grimaced as he groaned, "It doesn't matter. He'll be dead... by the time you get to him."

Katara squeezed and Yura shouted out in pain. Aang had frozen in his spot, staring her down in silent shock, as if he just couldn't fathom her doing this. But she had to. She had to save Zuko. This man had hurt him, claimed to have killed him. Nothing went through her mind except that he needed to die. He had to be killed. And it was her who had to do it.

"That's not the answer I want," she hissed, tightening her bending grip on his throat. Yura gagged and struggled even more, face turning purple. But he was no match against her bloodbending. She couldn't even imagine how she was doing this. It was in the middle of the day and there wasn't even going to be a full moon that night. Her fury fueled her power, and her power had taken what had appeared to be a threatening man and hoisted him up like he was nothing more than a rag doll.

"Katara! Stop!"

She vaguely heard Aang's cries for her, all senses focused on the man in her grip.

"You're killing him!"

She didn't care.

There was a hand on her shoulder, tugging on her to make her stop. But she was unmovable. Aang's cries for her were muffled under the heavy beating of her heart. She thought she could hear him say that she killed all of the other men, but she didn't care. It was lost on her beneath the agony in her heart. If Yura killed Zuko, they would have failed. Their friend would have been lost, and it would be her fault. She should have been faster, she should have been stronger. If she didn't stall or wasn't so loud when she broke in, Zuko could still be alive.

Growling, Katara lifted Yura even higher- almost to the point where he was reaching the vaulted ceiling- and with all of her might threw him down to the ground. The sound of his bones breaking felt muffled in her ears. And the house became eerily silent.

Not looking at Aang, she turned and ran down the hallway that Yura had come out. Frantically searching for a place Zuko could be hidden, she opened every door that she could find. Only finding bedrooms or a bathroom attached to the kitchen, she was beginning to lose hope. But as she rounded a final corner, she found one last door at the end of the hallway. She sprinted towards it and looking inside, she saw it lead to the cellar of the house. And most likely Zuko.

* * *

_tbc._

* * *

**_A/N _**_alright, alright, alright. I know that was pretty intense. But before you go exiting out of this story and vowing not to read it anymore, hear me out:_

_Katara killed Yura because she thought he killed Zuko. If you were in her shoes, believing that this person in front of you killed someone you held dear to your heart and cared for more than you could even put in words, would you just knock him out or give him a firm talking to? No. You'd kill that son of a bitch. At least, I know I would. Katara truly thought Yura had hurt and possibly even killed Zuko, making her journey to save him worthless. She was blinded by her anger and pain that she wasn't making a righteous decision. Will she regret killing him? Yes, but not because he didn't deserve it. She will regret it because she will hate that her hatred stained her hands with someone's blood._

_This isn't like when she confronted Yon Rha, because she knew her mother had been dead for years and there was nothing she could do about it. Right now she firmly believes that if she had been just a little faster, she could have saved Zuko right at that moment. Taking out her devastation on Yura was all she could do, or at least what she thought she could do. She pretty much lost control at this moment._

_It will all come to light in a few chapters, I promise._


	9. Saved

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

**_A/N _**_As a special treat to all of you, I shall post this chapter early. Because I love you and I know waiting to find out about Zuko's fate is almost agonizing._

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Saved**

* * *

The sound of her frantic footsteps bounced around Katara's head as she raced down the stairs leading the the basement. She had no time to think, no time to dawdle. She just had to get to the cell as soon as possible and free Zuko. That was all that mattered.

It was cold and dank below the ground, and Katara could feel the moisture trapped between the stones of the foundation. She couldn't even try to think about the depressing and trapped nature of the stone walls that surrounded her, because her mind went blank as she whirled around a corner and spotted the lone metal door at the end of the hallway.

She couldn't move fast enough, and just as her water sliced through the locking mechanism and she pushed the door open, her feet carried her through the frame. Suddenly she found herself in a small dungeon-like room where a lone occupant knelt against the wall. By the light in the corridor, Katara could see that his arms were chained above his head in a spread eagle and his ankles were strapped to the floor with thicker metal straps. His head was bowed in unconsciousness, but she could see the white of a dingy gag tied around his head. He was bare chested, and the black pants he wore were torn in multiple places. When she looked closer, she could see caked blood in the rips of the fabric. The pale skin of his torso was mottled with large bruises and fresh gashes- the most recent being what looked like a stab wound in the center of his stomach, still bleeding profusely. Other than those, the most extensive damage seemed to be on his upper chest, where a large and deep gash bloomed against his alabaster skin.

Katara slid to her knees in front of him then pulled out the gag and cupped both of his cheeks, wishing and hoping that she wasn't too late. And when his faint breath tickled the inside of her wrist, she almost sobbed with joy, but her heart sank as soon as she fully took in his appearance. The stench of infection hit her head-on now. There was a large cut above his right eye that was swelling, and his lip was split and still bleeding down his stubbly chin. His scarred eye looked like it might be bruised, but it was hard to tell other than the slight puffing the skin did near his cheekbone.

Quickly, she pulled out whatever was left of her water and cupped it against the wound on his stomach- closing it enough to stop the bleeding. Her healing wasn't as up to par as she would like, and judging by the incredible amount of injuries Zuko had she wouldn't be able to heal them all completely on her own. She didn't even have enough water to heal more than the puncture she was working on now.

There were approaching footsteps behind her and she spun around, water at the ready, just to see Aang standing in the doorway with fire cupped in his hand. He looked relieved when he saw Zuko, but as soon as his eyes went back to her, they hardened with disappointment and he looked away.

"Come on," he said hollowly, looking back down the hallway. "Let's get him out of here and back home."

Katara glared at him, trying to mask her immense hurt and the budding tears in her eyes, and brought the water in her hands to the chains on Zuko's wrists, freezing it inside the locks. "Could you help me with the straps on his feet? I don't think I can cut through them with what's left of my water. They're really thick."

Aang nodded once and stepped inside. He took some water out of his own canteen and iced the straps, then superheated them with firebending from his palms so they shattered away from Zuko's skin. The ice in the locks on his wrists expanded and the metal groaned before popping open. She carefully took them apart, setting the locks down on the ground before breaking the cuff away from his wrists. Just as his arms fell to his sides, he slumped forward right onto Katara.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him as he fell and held him against her. They hadn't been this close for over a year, and she could feel the big differences in his body from then. His torso was frail from starvation and abuse, but also broader in his maturity. He wasn't as lanky as Aang or Sokka- which was surprising considering the circumstances- and he was still heavy enough that Katara still strained to hold him upright. And there was something familiar from holding him against her that vaguely relaxed the blistering hurt in her chest.

But Zuko was much too hot, even for a firebender, and she knew that he was sick, probably a fever to fight the infections. He needed real medical care as soon as possible.

Aang must have caught on to her line of thinking and knelt down to help her lift Zuko off of the ground. Together, with one of the Fire Lord's arms over each of their shoulders, they carried him up the stairs, through the rooms of the abandoned home- and over the dead bodies of Yura and his associates- and passed the other unconscious mercenaries in the entryway then out the door. Aang pulled out his bison whistle and blew, and just a few minutes later Appa flew over the lining of the trees and landed in front of them, Momo flying right behind him. Aang silently hefted Zuko onto his saddle with an airbending leap, and Katara climbed up Appa's side after him. She sat on the saddle next to their unconscious friend and covered him with a blanket, then proceeded to pull out more water from her spare canteen in her pack to heal his injuries to the best of her ability.

It was the only thing she could do to waste time as they flew to Ba Sing Se.

Once they were in the air, she called out to Aang as she covered one of the shallower cuts on his stomach with her water, "We need to write to King Kuei, let him know we're on the way. And tell him to write to Iroh, too, so he can meet us there."

Aang nodded and said something to Appa before jumping to the saddle and pulling out a ink tray and parchment from his pack. Momo hopped onto his shoulder as he wrote and chirped every once in a while when Aang's arm would move to start a new column. When he finished, he blew on it to dry the ink and rolled it into a tight coil before wrapping an orange ribbon around the center and handing it to Momo.

"We're close enough to Ba Sing Se for you to take this to the Earth King, Momo," he murmured to his lemur. "Fly as fast as you can. We don't have much time."

Momo purred in response and leapt into the sky, soaring ahead of Appa and off into the distance. Aang watched him until he disappeared on the horizon and then turned to Katara and Zuko, whose head was cradled in the crook of her left elbow as she ran her glowing water over the gashes on his torso. His eyes seemed to be trained on the old starburst scar in the center of Zuko's chest.

"Is... is he going to be okay?"

Katara barely registered the question, but shrugged slightly in response as she shook her head. "I'm not sure... He's... He... I don't know, Aang."

Aang stood and looked down at them, distantly. "Well, just do your best. We'll get him fixed up when we get to Ba Sing Se."

He jumped back to Appa's head and took the reins again and readjusted their trajectory. She stared after him for a long moment, still hiding her hurt from his behavior. She knew he had the right to be upset, but not to shut her out like this. She didn't mean to do it, but she had to. To keep Zuko safe.

She returned her attention to Zuko's wounds, hovering her water over the particularly deep cut on his chest. She knew there were some of his injuries she wouldn't be able to close up entirely by the time they got to Ba Sing Se, but she could do her best to try and draw out some of the infection. If she didn't, he could die from it alone. And with the blood loss and malnutrition, that was all the more things that could end the Fire Lord's life before she got the chance to save him.

Zuko inhaled sharply when her fingers traced over the deepest part of the cut, right below his collarbone, and she froze.

She leaned forward slightly, and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear as she whispered, "Zuko? Zuko, can you hear me?"

There was a long pause and tension built up in her shoulders as she waited for him to respond. She held her breath, as if her lack of breathing would spur his on even more. It was shallow and pained, to the point that each breath was coming in short spurts before he would gasp slightly and grimace. Katara wanted to do her best to ease this pain, but for some reason her healing was doing nothing for him. All she could do was fix the superficial injuries and then focus on the internal problems when she had more water and herbs.

With another sharp breath, Zuko grimaced again and his eyes opened in a squint- something that reminded Katara so much of when she healed him after the Agni Kai. And just like then, tears began falling down her cheeks as she cupped his face- right over his scar- and waited. He stared at her with dull eyes, clouded with what she assumed was delirium, and his arm weakly reached up towards her face.

But, his eyes started drooping as his hand fell limply and landed on his lap. His breathing was becoming more and more labored as time went on, and he kept looking up towards her, but not really at her. He was fading, and she could feel it. Once his eyes closed entirely, Katara felt herself sob and crumple against him. She pressed her forehead against his, feeling his feverish skin against hers, and continued to cry.

"Katara?"

Aang's clear voice came to her from Appa's head and she looked up with watery eyes to see him staring at her, face full of worry. She sniffed and spoke in a voice she tried in vain to keep level, "We need to get there faster. He's not going to make it."

He nodded once, urgency replacing concern, and snapped Appa's reins as he shouted, "Appa, yip yip!"

The flying bison groaned and pushed on, moving so fast that the world seemed to pass them in a blur. Yura's hideout could have only been a day's hike from Ba Sing Se at least, and Appa should have been able to make it to the walled city by sundown. Clouds zoomed by and Katara kept a close eye on Zuko, running the rest of her water over his chest and stomach as she tried to staunch whatever was causing him to die. Her tears were starting to obstruct her vision, and she couldn't stop her unsteady breathing.

"Come on, Zuko," she cried softly, cupping his slack face again and pushing some of his hair out of his eyes. "You never give up without a fight, remember? You can't give up now, not when we've just gotten you safe." She sobbed again and her tears fell down her nose and chin and splattered against Zuko's skin. "Don't let this journey not be worth it, you good-for-nothing jerkbender!"

"Katara! I can see Ba Sing Se!" Aang shouted over his shoulder and spurred Appa even further. "Just keep him holding on!"

She nodded and kept her healing water on his torso, trying her hardest not to let her emotions get the best of her right now. She needed to focus or Zuko would die. She couldn't fail, she had to keep pressing on. But her confidence was starting to waiver, because she wasn't skilled enough to take care of this much of damage. She could heal the superficial wounds but the deeper holes inside would be near impossible at her skill level.

Even so, she hovered her glowing water over the stab wound in his stomach and trying her hardest to close it entirely. It was fresher, therefore easier to heal. But even then it would be hard. And Katara would put her heart and soul into making sure she would see his golden eyes alive with his fire. She just had to see them bright with his passion again.

When the walls of Ba Sing Se began to emerge on the horizon, enough of Zuko's smaller wounds were closed. But the gashes on his forehead and chest were too deep and infected for her to take care of without herbs. And her eyes were starting to droop with exhaustion, so she wasn't focusing enough. She had to stop, even if she didn't want to.

Aang had shouted to her saying that he could see the palace, but it was muffled to her. All she could hear was Zuko's ragged breathing and the sound of her own beating heart. Softly, she cupped his face and ran her thumb over the bumpy ridge of his scar. Feeling the tears in her eyes fall down her cheeks and drip off her chin, she murmured, "Hold on, Zuko... Just hold on."

* * *

_tbc._


	10. Heal

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

**_A/N _**_I am so incredibly sorry that it's taken so long to publish this chapter! I was out of town and I swear I didn't have a minute to spare. My family is craaaazy._

_Also, my birthday is Friday so I won't be posting again until after Thanksgiving. Sorry in advance!_

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Heal**

* * *

As soon as Appa landed at the top of the grand staircase of the Earth King's palace, Aang jumped to the ground and sprinted inside and past a few startled guards. Katara stayed with Zuko, consistently healing the damaged flesh of his body. She kept tirelessly running through the whole situation in her mind as she waited; discovering small mistakes she had made, things she could have done differently, a new strategy that could have gotten them to Zuko sooner. But no matter what she thought over, she realized she couldn't have changed what happened. If she had used her sweat or the moisture in the air to try to heal Zuko instead of waiting to get more water in the saddle, it could have made his infection worse because the water wouldn't have been pure. If she hadn't killed Yura, he would surely come back to try to hurt Zuko or any of her friends.

Any way she looked at it, she was stuck in this horrible situation with no clear answer of whether or not Zuko was going to make it.

Aang came running back out of the palace, with King Kuei running behind him with a group of what appeared to be four medics from the palace infirmary. They carried a stretcher between them and one held a bag, all dressed in solid green tunics and pants. Aang leaped back up into Appa's saddle and knelt down in front of Katara and Zuko, face blank and devoid of any emotion.

"King Kuei says we can bring Zuko to the Fire Lord's guest suite and the doctors should be able to take care of him there-"

"No," Katara interrupted, her grip on Zuko's shoulder tightening a little as she discarded the water she had been using on his chest wound. "I alone will take care of him. There's nothing they can do about the deeper wounds."

Aang was quiet for a moment, but nodded once before sliding his hands under Zuko's armpits and lifting him to his back. The airbender jumped back down to the ground, where the medics all hurried to his side to get Zuko onto their stretcher. Katara slid down Appa's leg and immediately went straight to Zuko's side, barking orders to the medics as they carried him inside.

"Keep him level," she said as she scurried along with them. "I'm going to need clean water, some white willow bark and whatever you have to help clean infections in the blood. I need them as soon as possible."

There was a chorus of murmured _yes ma'am's_ and as soon as they reached the suite, two of the medics split off and headed down the hall to find the materials Katara had requested. As soon as Zuko was placed in the bed, Katara got to work by running the last of her water along the gashes on his chest. She couldn't understand why they weren't healing entirely, though. Maybe they had been left alone for too long, or they were too deep to be healed with just bending. Katara then realized that she would have to resort to stitching it up like she used to before she learned how to heal.

One of the medics came up behind her and set down a large basin of clean water and asked if she needed anything else.

"A needle and medicinal thread," she ordered over her shoulder. "I need to give him stitches."

"Yes, Master Katara."

As soon as he left the room, she went back to work. And prayed that she could heal Zuko well enough that he could open his eyes again. After working for a while, she vaguely heard Aang come back in and tell her that Kuei had a room prepared for them and that an urgent message was sent to Iroh. But instead of paying attention, Katara continued coaxing her healing water through Zuko's veins to clean out the infection.

It must have taken hours, but by the time the infection was completely drawn out and the deeper wounds were stitched and wrapped, Katara got word that Iroh was on his way to the Earth Kingdom- leaving Azula in the Fire Nation with Sokka, Toph, and Suki. It was a small peace of mind, but not enough to let Katara even leave Zuko's side for the rest of the night.

* * *

The sun shined through the open window and a slight breeze blew in, softly disrupting the curtains and the petals of fire lilies tucked in a vase. The same breeze mussed the hair that framed Zuko's sleeping face, tossing it around the bandage on his forehead and falling over his eyes. In sleep he looked peaceful, as if the events of the past few months hadn't bared their burden on his body and soul. He had been still in his sleep for so long, it could almost seem like he was dead. But Katara knew better, based on the way his lip twitched every once in a while and his fingers would ever so slightly grip hers as she clutched onto them.

Someone had brought her lunch, and then some jasmine tea- she assumed Iroh brought the latter- but Katara didn't really pay attention. She was too focused on Zuko, and making sure he was okay. It was the least she could do.

_"You need to get some rest," Iroh had said to her when he first arrived, less than a day after her own arrival on Appa. "I will watch over my nephew while you sleep."_

_She shook her head and withdrew the dirty water, discarding it out the window and then getting some clean water from the bowl next to her. "I need to get his fever down. And he has some broken bones," she took a deep breath and let it out in an unsteady exhale, starting to feel the pressure and pain of knowing she wouldn't be able to do enough for him. With tears in her eyes, she continued, "and the cut on his chest just won't heal right even with the stitches and the one above his eye was left unattended for too long so it's going to scar and I just can't let him scar anywhere else because he's so beautiful and I just don't want him to be ruined-"_

_A palm on her shoulder and a soft yet stern voice stopped her. "He will be fine. He is alive and that is all that matters. You've done enough for him now, so you need to rest. Even the strongest of people need rest every once in a while."_

_With another shake of her head, she brought her water to Zuko's chest and replied in a whisper, "I'm sorry, Iroh. I need to stay here until he wakes up."_

When he finally woke up two days after their arrival, confusion was all over his face as he blinked the bleariness from his eyes. He looked up to the ceiling, then around the room before settling on her. Her happiness and relief seemed to flow out of her like a waterfall, because she felt a big smile come to her face. But it was quickly wiped away when Zuko's brow furrowed and he frowned before trying to sit up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"But you're not me," he groaned, voice gravelly with misuse and strain. "Where are we?"

"We're in Ba Sing Se. In the Earth King's palace," Katara replied as she reached to the bedside table, poured him a glass of water, and brought it to his lips. He glared at her before gulping the water greedily, and some spilled out of the corners of his mouth. Once he finished, she set the cup back down and said, "He's housed us here since we rescued you."

Zuko just stared at her as he processed the information, then sighed and turned his head to the side so he could look out the window. He was silent for a while, but then chewed on his lower lip and murmured, "And what happened to Yura?"

She tore her eyes away from his face and down to her feet. "He's... no longer going to be a problem."

Silence stretched on for a while, the only sounds passing between them being the breeze and the birds outside. Katara started to feel tense, holding her breath as she waited for him to ask that inevitable question. She knew it would be on his mind as soon as she told him his captor was gone.

"Who killed him?"

Katara sighed and finally looked back at him. He was still looking out the window, exhaustion evident on his face. Days had passed since his rescue, and he had been unconscious the whole time since he was freed. But he still looked incredibly tired, all the way down to his bones. Katara could only scarcely imagine how much this all tolled on him. No amount of healing could have wiped away his weariness, and it probably will remain with him for the rest of his life.

When she didn't answer, he moved his eyes to her face, piercing gold so much more alive than they were when she first found him. She figured that was a good thing- which it really was- that he didn't seem as gone as before. No longer dull and withdrawn. But, it also brought his typical uncanny ability to see past any lie she could conjure and break down any wall with just a simple stare. He tended to have that effect on her.

"I had to do it," she stated in a small voice, hating that he was staring at her like he was. "I thought he had killed you when I first saw him... And if I hadn't have done it, he would have come back for you. Or any one of us. It was better if he was taken out."

"What does Aang have to say about that?"

She shrugged, noncommittally, and frowned at her hands. "I wouldn't know. We haven't talked since we got you here."

"...Are you okay?"

Katara looked back up to him and frowned, tone incredulous as she squeaked, "_You're_ asking _me_? Zuko, you were about to die when we found you."

"But I know how I'm doing," he replied simply. Nothing in his tone betrayed his words, but with the hardening of his expression told her that he was angry in some way. He was clenching his jaw, and his eyes looked like he was livid with her. "You went on some search and rescue for me, where you could have easily been captured yourself or worse, killed. I could never have lived with that knowing that I was responsible for that happening to you. Not to mention you killed a man for me. If I-"

"I did it so he wouldn't hurt you again," she cut him off in a harsh whisper. He looked pretty shocked, and she took that opportunity to keep going. "I never would have forgiven myself if you were hurt when I could have done something about it but I didn't. As soon as Iroh told us what happened, I had to find you. It's not because you're the Fire Lord, it's because you're my best friend and I care about you. And if I have the chance to make a difference and keep someone from being hurt, I'll take it."

Zuko was quiet for a long time, just staring her down and clenching his jaw. He didn't look mad, but there was something unreadable in his eyes, as always, that put her on edge and made her squirm in her seat. It took a second for her to realize she was still holding his hand, and now he was squeezing it back. She must have started to squeeze him as she continued to rant, yet he still held onto her.

"I would do the same for you, you know," he said softly, finally looking away.

"I know you would," she murmured, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "We worry about each other. That's what friends do."

He gave her a weak- yet still remarkably charming- smile, but didn't say anything. So she shuffled in her seat again, taking her hand out of his as she did so she could pour him another cup of water, and held it out in front of him. "How are you feeling?"

Zuko sighed, then struggled- and finally managed- to sit up, causing the blanket to pool at his waist and reveal his shirtless and bandaged chest. He rubbed his shoulder, possibly feeling the stitches underneath, took the cup and drank the whole thing in one big gulp. He swallowed loudly, took another deep breath and replied, "I don't know…" He then stared at the cup in his lap, almost distantly as he continued in a tone that was quiet and a little haunting, "It's weird... because it felt _good_ to feel something like that again. Even if I was getting the shit beaten out of me…" He shook his head as he blinked slowly. "For a while there, I thought I wouldn't mind dying."

Katara gasped, "Zuko…"

He paused for a moment, his eyes still unfocused as he stared down at his lap. It was as if he was reminiscing on his time in the dungeon, something he probably will never reveal exactly what happened to her. But he blinked himself out of that stupor almost immediately and he glanced in her direction out of the corner of his eye. "That isn't how I feel now."

She just stared at him for a long moment, then quickly took his hand between hers again and held it tight. She just stared at their intertwined fingers, and felt him looking down at them, too. For a while, things were quiet again. She could hear the thrumming of her blood in her ears, hard and heavy with the shock of his statement. This wasn't like him, not like the Zuko she knew and grew to love. No, this was a man who had been broken and beaten until he could no longer bear the idea of even living. This was a man shattered.

But he couldn't be, really. Not when he squeezed her hand back and reassured her that he was okay now. He could tell her that he was fine, time and time again, but she probably would never be completely convinced that he really was.

The breeze picked up again and she whispered, "I'm glad that we got you back… I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Zuko remained quiet, and Katara took that opportunity to quell the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes by looking to the tray of food on his table and placing in to his lap. He looked down at it for a moment before slowly reaching for the small bread roll. She realized he hadn't eaten a good meal in months, and was about to warn him to start out slow. But she could see she didn't have to as soon as he ripped the bun into small pieces and dipped one in the soup before bringing it to his mouth and chewing it slowly.

Katara stood, and murmured about her desire to get some rest. Zuko stared at her for a long moment, eyes simmering with something unspoken, then nodded in consent and bid her good night. She closed the door behind her quietly and leaned against it as soon as it was shut, feeling that tightening in her chest again. The events of the past month was starting to catch up with her, and they began to eat away at her stone-hard resolve that she erected in order to save Zuko. He was safe and alive, and his sister was safe in the Fire Nation. Her job was done.

She had no idea when her feet started moving, or why they brought her here, but as soon as she saw Aang brushing Appa in the stable she realized it may have been a bad idea in her state of mind. He turned to her, eyes rimmed with red and glossy from past tears, and his expression hardened before he looked back to Appa and began stroking his fur again.

"Aang," she began, voice watery, "we need to talk."

"Yeah," he said stiffly, still looking away from her, "we do."

* * *

_tbc._


	11. Alone

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

**_A/N _**_so I don't want to be **that** person, but could you guys leave some more reviews to let me know what you're thinking of the story? I just want to know how I'm doing, where you guys want the story to go, and what you think of what's happened so far! Thanks in advance :)_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Alone**

* * *

Aang stared at Katara for a long moment, shoulders still tense and his eyes hard like stones. She wasn't used to seeing him like this, and his cold indifference was starting to wear at her. Was he really this mad? It was understandable to a point, but did he really have to act like it was the end of the world? Maybe he just didn't understand the weight of the situation at the time. Or maybe he didn't realize that it was just a sacrifice needed to be made, causing him to be closed-off towards her because of what she did. Regardless, it was a side of Aang she knew that she already hated seeing.

With a sigh, she warily approached him, hands clasped in front of her stomach and eyes downcast, and started, "We never really talked about what happened back there-"

"Probably because you've been too busy sitting at Zuko's side since we found him."

She winced at the harshness and accusation in his voice, but also started to grow angry at the childishness that lied underneath. How could he be so immature about something so serious? Their friend was almost killed, dangling by a thread, and he had the nerve to be practically jealous that she was spending time with their _friend _as she nursed him back to health? Her arms were now crossed and she frowned at the thought. "No, because I've been trying to make sure our friend doesn't die. His life is more important than your anger with me, I think."

Gray eyes snapped to her and she was suddenly afraid of the Avatar's wrath. "I'm not just angry with you, Katara! I don't even know who you are anymore! First, you go against what I ask you to just to get information about Zuko, risking your safety and the success of our mission. Then you practically torture someone for information after I blatantly told you not to, and you _killed _all of those men that were keeping Zuko captive."

"If I hadn't, they would have come back!" She was on the verge of tears again. "They never would have stopped until they got what they wanted!"

"How do you know that?!" Aang's shoulders were squared to her now and he was holding Appa's brush with a bone-white grip. "You never even gave them a chance. You took their lives like it was nothing! Violence is never the answer, Katara! Do you not even regret doing it?!"

"Of course I regret it!" she gasped, flabbergasted. She had every right to be, but she knew it was possibly the only way to save Zuko in the long run. She didn't want the blood on her hands, and she could guarantee seeing those men's faces in her sleep every night until she dies, but if it hadn't been done Yura would keep terrorizing to get what he wanted. The only problem was what Aang was preaching an argument that he didn't realize how untrue it was. "But I think I can say with certainty that you're wrong in this case. Forgiving Yura and his men wouldn't have stopped them from hurting Zuko. You saw how beat up he was! Do you really think Yura would have been stopped by your pacifist ideals? Sometimes you need to step away from being an Air Nomad and be the Avatar in your world views, because dangerous men are still dangerous no matter the circumstances."

He scowled at her. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that in death, there is no way a dangerous man can harm someone," She said with a snap in her voice. "You know how Ozai still manipulates Zuko sometimes. Because he was allowed to live he can still do dangerous things, even behind bars. Yura would be the same way, maybe even worse. He has networks of people just like him that would be willing to take out the Fire Lord and the rest of the Royal Family if that meant he got what he wanted. Without Yura, there is no one leading the Xi Lang and they won't be as big of a problem. Despite what you think, getting rid of him was the answer."

"It was a permanent fix to a temporary problem," Aang replied sternly. "Someone will just step up and take Yura's place, and we'll be back to where we started! Zuko will need to be protected even more and you will, too! They'll be out for blood."

She flinched. _He has a point. _She sighed and her shoulders dropped. "And we'll deal with that when it happens. I did what I had to at the time to save our friend."

He raised up his arms in a shout. "You _killed_ someone, though. That's not how we do things, Katara!"

Her face scrunched and she growled, "No, that's not how _you _do things. I will do _whatever_ it takes to save my friends and family. Sometimes what you believe doesn't apply to everyone."

"Are you saying my beliefs are _wrong_?"

Katara backtracked and rubbed her temple with the heel of her hand. "No! I'm saying that, as the Avatar, you need to do what is best for the world. Whatever it takes to keep balance and peace, even if that means sometimes going against your beliefs. Your duty as the Avatar comes before your position as an Air Nomad. I know you hate violence but sometimes it's needed. Just not senselessly."

Aang just stared at her for a long moment, processing every word she said. There was still something deeper in his eyes, something that told her that no matter what she said he wouldn't agree with her. It may not have been easy to see if she were anyone else, but it was obvious to her. Aang was still pretty much a kid. He wouldn't be able to fully understand and submit to the pressures of being the Avatar quite yet. So he wouldn't be able to understand the morally gray part of what she did.

"Aang, look, I-"

"I don't think you understand how I'm feeling, Katara," he started, tone even and face blank. "You got so worried about Zuko being captured and hurt that you were relentless in your search, you killed people in order to make sure Zuko was safe..." He started to get more worked up as he ran his hand over his scalp and clenched the other in a fist at his side. "It's like I don't even know who you are anymore! You were acting like a completely different person than from the girl I fell in love with!"

Katara's eyes narrowed and she frowned at him. "Of course I'm not. People change, and our relationship is supposed to change with it. Or did you think I would stay the same person that broke you out of the iceberg?"

His mouth pulled downwards and he shook his head. "No, not at all. Yes, I love the way you were then and also the person you grew into as we got to know each other. But this person you're starting to become isn't someone I think I could love."

Even though his words made her throat tighten and her lip to wobble, she had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at his single-minded attitude. Despite his somewhat mature approach to this, he wasn't seeing the whole picture. He was angry that she wasn't becoming the person he wanted her to be, as if he could control how she would mature and change as a person as she grew up.

"And it's not just that," he started, interrupting her train of thought. Rubbing his scalp again, he said, "It just seems like you wouldn't have been _so_ intent on finding and saving Zuko unless there was something going on or you cared about him more than you claim to."

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you trying to say?"

"Are you in love with Zuko?"

She stared at him for a long time, not even understanding exactly what he was accusing her of. Yes, she cares for Zuko. He's her best friend. But _love _him? She wasn't even sure that was possible. Maybe Aang was reading the situation wrong, or maybe he was just being insecure. She was tending to Zuko because she was worried. She had searched so hard for him because he is the Fire Lord and the world needs him. She was so scared of losing him because they were best friends. Right?

"Aang," she started, mustering up her confidence to clear the air. Though it did nothing to settle the tightening in her chest. "Zuko is my best friend. Of course I love him, but not in the way you're accusing me of. And the fact that you would even believe that I cared for him like that, then we have a problem."

"Oh we do have a problem," he snapped. It was so unlike him to behave this way. Normally he wore his jealousy on his sleeve, but never did he take it out on _her_. "I told myself the same thing. But the way you look at him... the way you hovered over his bed since the moment we got here-"_  
_

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation, Aang!" she shouted, cutting him off. There was no way he would listen unless she told him straight up how things were. How she was really feeling and what he was doing to make her feel so suffocated. This was going too far. "Zuko was _dying. _He was barely even alive when we found him, and he's still having trouble even holding on now! Reality check, Aang: the world doesn't revolve around you! Do you expect me to leave his side to cater to your wounded ego?!"_  
_

"No!" Aang screamed back, clutching his fists at his sides. "I expect you to not act like you're in love with him!"

"So what if I was, huh?" she couldn't stop herself, not even when Aang froze and his eyes went wide with hurt. "So what if I loved Zuko? Would you force me to forget my feelings because I was with _you_? To become like an Air Nomad and hang out with all of your little acolytes because you want me to be like you? To disregard my entire life and culture and personal ideals because your's is apparently more important?"

"Katara," he said, voice small and confused, "where did this come from?"

She was fuming now. "I see it on your face when you're with the acolytes. How you're so happy that there are people around you that cherish your culture the way you do. And I know that if we get married, you're going to expect me to change my ways to be like you so you can rebuild the Air Nation. And that means you're going to want me to make you tons of little airbending babies and not even have a say, because you're the Avatar and the last airbender and you need to do these things to restore balance."

Aang seemed even more confused. "Is that not what you want? I thought you would have liked to become like an Air Nomad for me."

"I'm not going to throw away my whole life and culture just for you, Aang," she said sadly. "That's not the kind of person that I am."

At her statement, he got angry again. "But the acolytes did it! Why can't you?"

Katara sighed and shrugged, then letting her hands plop against the sides of her thighs. "I like the way I am. I like how my life has been and the methods I do things. I can't be like you and forgive all the time, or be passive when I want to be assertive. I had to be like me to save Zuko. I can't be like you when being like me is what I'm best at."

He had tears in his eyes when he cried, "I love you! Shouldn't that be enough?"

Katara's eyes widened in realization as an epiphany grew in her mind. Aang loving her _wouldn't_ be enough for her to change. She is her own person, a symbol of peace in her own right. She is a master waterbender, the last from the Southern Water Tribe. She is a skilled healer and knows the art of bloodbending. She is the daughter of the Chief and helped end Sozin's War. If it wasn't for her, the Avatar would never have returned. If it wasn't for her, Fire Lord Zuko would be dead by his sister's hand. And she did it all by being who she was. She is her own person. She is Master Katara.

Staying with Aang, becoming like his acolytes and being his wife, would practically erase all of that. Because he would be the one everyone remembered. He was the Avatar. And she would be remembered as being the Avatar's wife.

Taking a step back, Katara shook her head. "No, Aang. It's not enough."

* * *

As soon as the door closed behind Katara, Zuko set the tray of food back onto the table, unable to finish. Even a few bites made his stomach churn with the threat of losing all he just ate. Zuko was no stranger to starvation, and he knew that forcing himself to eat too much would be a disaster. Not to mention the fact that his stomach was already flipping enough as soon as he woke up. It was a recipe for making things worse, and now that he couldn't stop running over what had happened he couldn't seem to even try to take another bite.

Aang and Katara saved him.

Yura was dead.

Katara had killed Yura.

In order to save him...

He swallowed thickly around his tight throat and fingered the bandages wrapped around his body, gauging the damage Yura had left on him. He could feel the ridges of stitches in the gash on his chest, but it seemed like everything else had been sealed up by Katara's healing. The bandage on his forehead had some ridges under it too, so he guessed that had been sewn up as well.

Zuko inhaled sharply- noticing for the first time how easy it was for him to finally breathe- and exhaled unevenly, feeling a heavy weight fall onto his shoulders. He had no clue things would have ended up like this two months ago when he planned to find Azula. He knew there were people in the Earth Kingdom that held a dislike for him, but never would he have imagined a plot to kidnap and kill him. Shun had died in the process, and now the guilt gnawing at Zuko was so strong that he could feel it suffocating him.

He needed fresh air.

Struggling to stand, Zuko pushed himself out of his bed. As soon as he stood and took his first step, his legs buckled and he stumbled and fell to the floor, crashing into the chair Katara had been sitting in not twenty minutes beforehand. A sting of pain radiated from his chest and his shoulders and he cursed under his breath, punching the floor before unsteadily pushing himself back to his feet. Walking had never been this difficult, and Zuko hissed in pain with every stuttering step he took. His legs weren't used to this much work after being out of use for so long. But he wouldn't ask for help, his pride would not allow it. He had already been taken care of enough as it was, and the Fire Lord needed to be on his own two feet as soon as possible- literally. Pushing through the pain was just a necessary step towards recovery.

The doors to the balcony were on the other side of the room, but he struggled his way over, using the wall as support whenever he felt his balance waiver. Every step proved to be easier than the last, and by the time Zuko actually got to the balcony he was able to walk without any assistance. He didn't even falter once he reached the railing that overlooked the city.

The sun was starting to set, but the city was still alive. Even from his room, Zuko could hear the hustle and bustle of the people in the Upper Ring heading home from their honest day's work, or heading out for a meal with their families.

How simple was it for them to be lighthearted and easy going? Would _he_ even be able to feel at ease or comfortable again? Would these aches and pains go away, or will he feel them clawing at him until the ends of his days? Will he always feel cold, even if the sun is shining on him or he is tucked under layers of blankets?

A chill ran through him before he lifted his hand and tried to light a fire. Just like he thought, not even a wisp of smoke appeared. Another ache went through his arm and he knew that the bending suppressants still hadn't worn off yet. Perhaps Ty Lee could do something to help him once he returned to the Fire Nation. Or maybe it was permanent. Either way, his bending was gone, leaving him cold and feeling emptier than ever.

Zuko sighed as he dropped his hand back to his side and brought his gaze back out towards the city. Maybe things won't ever be normal for him again. He probably will always be afraid of someone coming to finish Yura's work, or his family being taken out by the Xi Lang. Possibly even his friends being killed in revenge for him being taken away. The thought of that alone made his heart race and his stomach to churn again. He couldn't let that happen. He had to get better and be able to fight back. No one was going to get hurt because of him.

Not anymore.

Not if he could help it.

Because if the Xi Lang was to fight for retribution, he knows that they would target him for sure, but probably Aang and Katara, too, because they rescued him. And unless they were suspiciously good at covering their tracks and being careful in their search, there had to be someone that would realize what they were up to. The two of them would be found out soon and bulls-eyes would be painted on their backs in bright red paint.

With another sigh- _I'm starting to sound like Mai with all of this sighing- _Zuko clenched the railing in front of him. He ignored the flare of pain in his chest and shoulder, and just stared out towards the city. Maybe things will get better, maybe he will heal and be strong enough to take on his enemies if they came again. Maybe he could conquer the Xi Lang and wipe them out for good, so no one else will get hurt.

He gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on the railing and another flare of pain blossomed in his chest- this time so sharp that Zuko suddenly saw Yura wielding his old knife and carving into his skin, ripping him open and spilling his blood onto the stone floor beneath his feet. The vision was so fresh it was as intense as the time it actually happened.

Gasping, Zuko let go of the railing and clutched at his chest as he dropped to his knees. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he struggled to breathe and get a grasp on where he was. His vision was swimming, heart racing, and he felt like he was suffocating on the air around him- chest constricting and tightening harder with every breath he tried to gasp in. He thought he could taste blood on his tongue, and the gnawing in his stomach grew until it was swirling and eating him up from the inside out.

He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see around the black edges in his vision. He was getting colder and colder as his heart picked up and his arms felt like they couldn't move, as if they were locked in chains once more.

The wind picked up, and vaguely he heard what sounded like a groan through the muffled thickness in his ears. It was then that he realized that things weren't like before, and the air wasn't stale and musty like it had been in the dungeon. And he was all alone. That fact was enough to cause Zuko's breathing to slow and his awareness to return. He laid a hand flat against his chest to calm himself, feeling the bandages under his fingertips- and not blood.

It was that and the crisp, fresh air of the autumn breeze that reminded him that he was safe in Ba Sing Se. Zuko slowly opened his eyes and stood, just in time to see Appa take off towards the sunset in the west- with Aang on his back.

* * *

She found him on the balcony, hair blowing in the early autumn breeze. He stared out towards the city, yet his eyes weren't really focused on anything. His shoulders were tense and his jaw was clenched, like he was deep in thought. He was pushing his limits as he tried to stand, but it didn't show in his face.

"Can't sleep?" she asked from the doorway. He didn't say anything, but his silence was all the answer she needed. So she walked up to his side and leaned against the railing, following his gaze and watching the city light up the night sky. She rubbed her eyes and pushed her hair out of her face, casting a glance towards him just to make sure he didn't see the tears she had neglected to wipe away. Luckily when he remained pensive, she looked out towards the city and said in a level voice, "I've always liked Ba Sing Se at night. The whole world goes to sleep, but this place seems to never rest. Sometimes it reminds me of the Southern Lights, so I feel a little more at home."

This seemed to have made him soften a bit, but he still didn't respond. Katara would have started panicking because of his silence and the distant look in his eyes, but as soon as he took a deep breath and dropped his chin and he chewed on his lower lip, she relaxed. She had feared that Zuko might slip away into his own mind, especially with his withdrawn attitude since he woke up. She didn't blame him for his behavior- no one should- but she could always see Zuko's strength wane every time he had a chance to think about what had transpired in that cell.

"I just saw Aang leave."

She perked up at the sound of his voice, raspy and worn with exhaustion, and turned to look at him fully. He was still looking out towards the city, not her. But what he said wasn't what she wanted to hear. Talking about Aang wasn't the first thing she wanted to talk about, not after how intense their fight had gotten. Bringing Zuko into the drama by telling him what happened wouldn't be the best of ideas. So she shrugged and replied in a noncommittal tone, "Yeah... he had some things to attend to."

"And you didn't go with him?"

She winced. She really didn't want to talk about it. But for some reason she couldn't bring herself to deny Zuko's curiosity and acquiesce to his request. With a sigh, she bowed her head and replied simply, "We decided it would be best if we separated for a little bit."

He was quiet again. For a second, Katara thought he was going to let the subject drop and she was going to chastise him for being out of bed. But he turned his head towards her and finally asked, "Why?"

She didn't answer. For some reason, she believed saying it out loud would make it more real. And yet she thought it was for the best, she still couldn't quite believe that she and Aang had broken up. It wasn't denial, seeing that she was the one who broke up with him, but in all honesty it was hard to grasp the fact that she was no longer with the person she had dedicated her life to five years ago. It was strange. And vocalizing the truth of the situation wasn't something she was ready for, yet.

So she just shrugged and said, "Just need some time for myself, I guess..." She stood up straight, taking her elbows off of the railing and looked up at him. "And I needed to take care of you, too. That being said, I don't think you should be out of bed."

Avoiding eye contact, Zuko looked back to the city and grunted, "I needed some fresh air... And I just felt like standing up. I was sitting for too long."

Katara could understand that reasoning, but it wasn't a good enough excuse to be overexerting himself like he was. She took his hand and tried to tug him inside. "Come on, you'll get sick standing out here in the cold. You already have a fever, and you don't want it to get worse, right?"

He glanced at her for a long second before following her inside without a word. Escorting him to his bed, she waiting for him to lay down before pulling the blankets over his legs and tucking him in. He gave her an irritated glare, but settled against his mattress and pillow without protest. She gave him a smile as she leaned down and kissed him chastely on the forehead.

As she straightened up, he looked up at her, his pale cheek a little pinker- she blamed the fever- and asked, "So what will you do now?"

Shrugging again, Katara replied, "I'm not sure. I'll figure it out in the morning... Get some sleep, Zuko."

He nodded and rolled onto his side, seeming to fall asleep almost immediately as she turned on her heel and left the room. As soon as the door closed, she let more of her tears fall off her cheeks and down to the floor.

* * *

_tbc._

* * *

**_A/N _**_Just thought I'd let you guys know that I consulted my wonderful husband on the behavior Zuko exhibited when he had his PTSD episode. The hubs had a mild case of PTSD when he got back from his deployment to Afghanistan, and he was such a trooper when I asked him about this stuff. Round of applause for my soldier!_


	12. Conflicted

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

**_A/N _**_Yeah, yeah, I know it's been a while. But I've been swamped with personal things so writing hasn't been a priority._

_This is a filler chapter, of sorts. I felt like it would be good to see what Azula has been up to since she arrived in the Fire Nation. I was having a hard time writing this so that's why it's been so long between updates._

_I've also been considering splitting up the events of this story into a second book, making this part end in about 2-3 chapters. If that's something you guys would like, let me know. If I don't, this story will go on for probably another 15 chapters._

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Conflicted**

* * *

The fire of the candle in front of her flickered between bright orange and blue, depending on whether or not she decided to grab and still the flame with her bending. Grasping a flame was a beginner's move, something she mastered within minutes of her very first lesson. But prohibiting a flame from moving at all was challenging, requiring enough concentration that she didn't notice when someone knocked on her door and came in. And as soon as she smelled leather and wheat, she let go of the flame and whirled around to see Sokka standing in the doorway with a tray in one hand and a folded pai sho board in the other.

"Did you forget I was coming over?" he asked, grinning humorously as he approached the table where she was sitting.

"No," she said haughtily, sticking up her nose as she did. "I just was thinking about other things."

Sokka set down the tray, revealing a plate of cookies and two cups of chilled juice, and asked, "Such as?"

She shrugged, taking the pai sho board from him and distracting herself by setting up the tiles in their respectful places. "Just stuff."

"Azula, is it about Zuko?"

Hands stilled and she felt her shoulders stiffen. Iroh had left three days ago to go to Ba Sing Se, where the Avatar and Sokka's sister had brought Zuko after liberating him from his captors. He barely gave them a warning, just bolting from the dinner table and rushing out of the room before saying he had to leave. No one knew where he was headed until the next day when he had already left in the Royal Cruiser with the Imperial Firebenders. Sokka was the one to tell her that Zuko had been found, but no one knew how bad off he had been when he was brought to the Earth Kingdom capital. She honestly didn't know how to feel about it. Was she relieved? Nervous? Angry? She wasn't sure.

What would happen when he came back? Her doctor assured her that Zuko wouldn't lock her back up, but what if he changed his mind when he got back? Being locked up can change a person, and he might decide she's not stable enough to be on her own anymore. Maybe he had lied and intended on locking her up in the first place. If that was the case, she would jump ship as soon as possible. She wouldn't let him even have the chance, and she would risk being on her own again just to avoid that cell.

But if he was willing to work with her, would he reinstate her as Princess? Would he expect her to return as full time royalty or will she just stay in the palace as a guest of sorts? It would be smart for him to keep her close if he wanted to keep an eye on her, and she will downright refuse to stay with their traitor of a mother. It would either be staying in the palace or finding someone obscure to keep tabs on her.

Perhaps she was relieved he was found. Despite their differences, Zuko was her brother. Maybe deep down she did... care for him. Even after all they had been through, Azula guessed hearing about his abduction shook her in a way, contrary to her reaction when Katara had told her. She didn't want to think about why, not now at least. Facing these feelings would be inevitable, and it possibly would be easier to deal with whenever Zuko actually came home and made his decision. Right now, she can't help but wait.

"No," she lied, grabbing her cup of juice and taking a drink. "Let's just play."

Sokka stared at her, probably unconvinced with her reply, before setting up the rest of his tiles and grabbing his cup. Gesturing towards the board, he said, "Ladies first."

Azula fought the urge to sneer at him, instead she moved her furthermost outer right tile forward a space. Sokka grinned, probably noticing her distaste for his comment, and mirrored her move. Their silence stretched on as they played, pushing their tiles forward in a similar fashion. But soon, Azula had her tiles in harmony in the center of the board.

"I'm really surprised," Sokka stated, crossing his arms as he studied the board. "I wouldn't expect you to know my strategy."

"We've been playing each other almost every day for a week," Azula replied, moving her pieces back to the starting position. "It's easy to figure out an opponent's strategy given enough time."

Sokka frowned. "No, you had this down the first time we played. Like you already knew the style."

Azula grinned and shrugged nonchalantly. "Like I said, figuring out an opponent's strategy is crucial in order to win."

As he put his pieces back into their starting position, Sokka continuously kept glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Like he was onto her, as if he knew her little secret. Soon, their next game started and Azula was sure she was going to win again. Based on the fact that Sokka was employing his "secret strategy" that was really just pushing all of his pieces forward until they created a row that would prohibit her from creating harmony with her own tiles.

But she knew how to counter easily and ended up getting harmony for the second game in a row.

"You never told me that you knew how to play Pai Sho in the Water Tribe style."

Azula looked up from the board, seeing Sokka smirking at her with triumph. She normally would curse that he figured her out. But this was Sokka, he wasn't an enemy anymore. He could know her little secret without it being detrimental to her already ruined reputation.

She took her tiles and put them back in their starting places again, then said casually, "I aim to know my opponents in any way possible, train myself in order to defeat my enemies in every way. To be the best, you have to know what to expect in any situation. Learning Pai Sho is just like that aspect. Every nation has a different approach to the game, so in order to be the best you have to know every nation's different rules. To beat you, I'd have to deploy a strategy based on critical thinking and an defense that surrounds your key pieces so they can make harmony. Similar to how your tribe conducts a hunt."

Surprise was all over his face, and the shock was evident when he took a cookie off the plate and chewed it thoughtfully. "You're not as ignorant about my people as I thought."

Azula glared at him. "I am a Fire Nation royal. It's my job to know the other cultures of the world, in the event of a peaceful meeting so to avoid disrespecting the other party. My mother may be a traitor and a deceitful witch, but she still knew to educate us in the ways of the other nations, in case Zuzu and I were ever to be sent out on diplomatic excursions."

Sokka stared at her, seeming to be deep in thought before taking another cookie. "You know, we talked about this. You don't need to be so formal with me."

She paused, then said simply, "No, I have to."

"Why?"

"I don't plan to make nice so we can be friends."

Sokka sighed, "I never said we had to be friends."

Azula looked up from the board to see Sokka giving her a melancholy look- as if he was sad for her. Like he pitied her in one shape or another. She could feel anger start to warm her as they stared each other down. He had no right to act like he cared, because she knew he didn't. No one ever did, not anymore at least. Sokka could never understand.

"No," she replied curtly. "But you act like you want to."

There was something in his eyes, deep in those stupidly blue orbs that seemed to read her like an open book, that told her that he really cared. Like he really wanted to be here for her as a friend, not just because he was tasked to babysit her. The way Sokka behaved around her, treating her like an equal human being, said so much more to her than anything else he did. The Pai Sho games were fun, no one was as skilled with it except maybe Iroh or Mai. And she always enjoyed sharing tea with him and talking about frivolous things like the weather or reasonable means of travel. Her favorite was when Sokka tried to convince her that an airship with wings could be used and propelled and pushed forward by firebending or an engine. She called him crazy, but in all reality she thought it was a genius idea.

Sokka acted like he wanted to be friends, and Azula hated to admit but she was a little happy that it was starting to feel like it already happened.

* * *

A rock whizzed over her head and collided with the stone pillar behind her.

"I almost got you, Azula! Get your head in the game!"

A growl vibrated in her throat and Azula had just enough time to dive into a roll towards her left as another boulder landed right where she had been standing. As soon as she got a sure footing, Azula threw three fireballs in the direction of that stupid little mudslug. How that brat managed to hold her own against the firebending prodigy that Azula claimed to be was astounding. Then again, she would hear nothing but praise about the Beifong girl, especially while in the former colonies. A metalbender, they said, invented it all on her own. A blind, noblewoman from a highly influential Earth Kingdom family.

And a pain in the ass to spar with.

Toph dodged Azula's fireblasts by shooting herself in the air with her bending. She cushioned her own fall by softening the earth, then moving it in waves like it was water. Azula couldn't move out of the way, so she was shot into the air. She quickly righted herself with a jet of flame from her heel, flipped, then landed in another roll. Knowing Toph could already "see" her and was readying another attack, Azula darted towards the opposite side of the sparring ring- far from Toph and her flying rocks.

"Running won't do you any good, Princess!" Toph called with amusement.

"Watch me!" she shouted back. She banked to her right and ran along the side of the designated ring, where an artificial creek cut through the earth. Not waiting to see what Toph would do, Azula dove in. Toph couldn't see her if she wasn't touching the earth. A quick swim with the current and then jumping out of the water could be all the advantage she needed to get the upper hand and win.

She hated to lose.

But as soon as Azula broke the surface and took aim, Toph sent a boulder right at her and hit her square in the chest. She fell back under water, then sprung back up just to sputter the water out of her mouth. She wiped her eyes, and glared at the little blind brat as she stomped out of the water.

Toph was just grinning ear to ear, hands propped on her hips. Once Azula righted her footing and went to attack, Toph held up her hands to stop the princess and shouted, "Whoa, stop! I think we're done here!"

Azula halted, eyebrow quirked up, and said, "Why?"

"There's something on your mind and it's distracting you," Toph replied, walking forward and bending up a pillar to sit on. "Want to talk about it?"

With a glare, Azula snarled, "When have I _ever _wanted to talk about it?"

Toph chuckled and began picking in the spaces in between her toes. "Never. I thought that you might actually open up to me, but I guess it will take more time for you to consider me a frie-"

"Don't say 'friend,'" Azula snapped. She narrowed her eyes and sat down on the ground, taking off her boots to pour out the water soaking through her insoles. "I'm not here to make friends, I'm just waiting for Zuko to get back. That's all."

"And then what?"

The princess looked up from her boot and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Then what?" Toph asked, placing both of her feet on the ground and leaning her elbows onto her knees. "What will you do then? If Zuko decides to let you stay in the palace, will you? Or will you run off again?"

Azula shoved her foot back into her boot and reached up to wring the water out of her cropped locks. "I'm not sure. I feel like whatever I decide to do will come to me when the time comes."

"That's not very Azula-like," Toph remarked, to which Azula scowled and prepared to retort, but Toph instead held up a hand to silence her and continued, "What I mean is you are the type of person that plans things out from start to finish, with every possible outcome thoroughly considered. You know what you want to do, and right now you're just stalling."

Azula looked away and back to the ground. Despite their previous differences, Toph seemed to know her pretty well. A week in each other's company could do a lot with perceptions, or perhaps Toph was just really good at reading people. The problem was that she was right, though. Azula had this all thought through already. If Zuko wanted her to stay, she would stay on her own accord until she decided to go somewhere else. But if he wanted to send her away or lock her up again, she'd leave. The news of his rescue was making her realize she would have to make this decision pretty soon.

She was mainly concerned that Zuko would be a changed man when he came back, and he would dispose of her like he should have four years ago.

"Listen, I don't mind that you like to mull things over now but maybe we should get cleaned up for dinner. We can talk about this after dessert if you want."

"No," Azula declared, standing and brushing off her trousers and shirt. "I don't think I need to talk about it. Not quite yet."

Toph smiled and stood as well, giving Azula a look that just screamed that she knew she cracked the surface of the normally incredibly guarded princess. The thing was is that as they walked side by side towards the inside of the palace, Azula knew that she didn't mind it at all.

"Beifong?"

"Hmm?"

Azula paused, chewed on her lower lip, then sighed. She might as well try, right? "Thanks."

Toph grinned and punched Azula right in the arm. The princess was about to retaliate, but was stopped when Toph said, "No problem," and trotted off towards her suite. Azula couldn't help but let herself have a small smile as she watched the earthbender leave. Maybe being cordial to her wouldn't be half bad.

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair, the only sounds echoing between the three teens being their chopsticks hitting their bowls and the occasional grunt or slurp coming from Sokka and Toph. Azula kept quiet, as usual, nibbling her food daintily while she stared absently at the table. No conversation was exchanged, but the silence was comfortable. In the week they had spent together, Sokka, Toph, and Azula had become quite used to each other. Azula felt that her two former enemies had come around to accepting her- not that she'd admit it out loud. It wasn't something she was aiming for purposely.

It was the norm for them, which was something Azula craved: normality. Strange considering how sitting at the family dinner table with a man of the Water Tribe and an Earth Kingdom noblewoman was more comfortable for her than any meal she had at that very table with her parents and brother. It was nice.

But the calm atmosphere didn't last long, because a servant barged in with a tray- which appeared to be the kind where messages were carried. The servant approached Sokka- the interim caretaker of the girls in the room- and bent at the waist, revealing a lone scroll. Sokka took it, thanked and dismissed the servant with some level of discomfort, and opened the message.

He read it once over, his face screwing into confusion then sadness, then to a more calm and anticipatory expression. Once he finished, he looked up from the paper towards Azula and Toph and proclaimed, "Iroh arrived in Ba Sing Se, and Zuko is doing okay. Katara is there, but Aang left because he had some other things to take care of."

"Hoth he doinf?" Toph asked with a mouth full of noodles. Azula rolled her eyes at the impropriety but kept her own mouth shut as she listened.

"According to Iroh, Zuko sustained a lot of blood loss," Sokka started, reading the letter out loud verbatim, "and a few broken ribs. There were some superficial wounds that had been infected, and he was given bending suppressants so he hasn't been able to bend since Aang and Katara found him. And since he can't bend, he's running a high fever to burn off the infection, something he could do normally without getting sick."

Toph swallowed her food then inquired meekly, "Is he going to be okay?"

Sokka scanned the contents again and nodded, rolling it back up and setting it back on the table. "He's stable, and that's coming from Katara. Though she says that he will have another scar on his face-"

"Will it be as bad as the one he already had?" Azula interrupted.

Sokka stared at her for a long moment, but shook his head and sighed, "It's just a cut above his right eye. Katara says it won't be more than a faint line, but it will be there. There's one on his chest that's a lot worse, and it's taking a while to heal. He's been given stitches and a lot of pain medication, basically."

Azula nodded, then turned back to her noodles. She had imagined that Zuko had been hurt pretty badly, only because he had been captured for a few weeks. He was pretty resilient, and he could take whatever punches were thrown, so she figured no matter how long he had been in captivity he would last until the death-dealing blow.

Still, they hadn't been informed on who had taken him. Was it Earth Kingdom rebels? New Ozai society? They had been pretty active in some parts of the Earth Kingdom where dissident soldiers and nobles had taken up residence after the war, and as far as she heard Mai's father was still heading up the organization back in the homeland. They had always intended on getting Zuko off the throne, but kidnapping and torturing was a little too extreme for the former governor.

There had been plenty of Earth Kingdom residents that hated Zuko, as well. Some believed that the area where the colonies were belonged to the Earth Kingdom alone, and that all Fire Nation people should leave, even the mixed families. Though the colonies were no longer under Fire Nation control, now becoming their own independently operated cities, there were still Fire Nation citizens on Earth Kingdom soil and some people just can't let that go.

Azula would have rolled her eyes at the closed-minded thinking of some individuals. Times were changing, and the world needs to change with it. The people of the world are bound to branch out and blend together sooner or later, and even the Avatar would have to break the "separate nations" rule in order to repopulate the Air Nation. It would take an idiot to not figure that out.

"What are they going to do?"

Azula looked up to see that Toph and Sokka had still been talking, and unfortunately she missed a good chunk of the conversation.

"They plan on leaving in a few days and head back here," Sokka replied, taking a drink and then another bite of his food. "And Katara is going to stay with Zuko until he gets better, since she and Aang split ways for a while."

Toph looked up from her bowl, blank eyes looking straight through Sokka as if she was deep in thought. Azula picked up on her line of thinking pretty quickly, and had to refrain from smiling to herself. So Katara was no longer travelling with the Avatar, and now was coming back to the Fire Nation for an indefinite time to spend with Zuko?

Things were about to get pretty interesting.

* * *

_One week later_

"Azula?"

The knocking continued, yet Azula still ignored it. She refused to open the door and look that wretched demon in the face. She had spent too long with that woman's voice in her head to listen to it's shrill tone any longer. Refusing to acknowledge her was Azula's new tactic, then perhaps she would just leave her alone and never come back.

Wouldn't that be ideal?

"Azula, sweetie, would you please open the door? We need to talk."

Gritting her teeth, Azula turned towards the door and shouted, "You said enough when you left us here alone with _him."_

She heard Ursa sigh. "I know, and I deserve every ounce of hatred you have for me. But can you please open this door so I can properly apologize to you. For everything."

"No."

Ursa was quiet for a moment, long enough for Azula to think that she gave up and left. But then she started speaking again. "Fine, if you don't want to talk then maybe you will just listen... On that night after you told me what Fire Lord Azulon asked of your father, I confronted Ozai to find out the truth. When he confirmed your story, I begged him to spare Zuko. The only way that could be done was if Azulon was killed before Zuko's execution the next morning, so your father and I concocted a plan to make sure that happened.

"After I did my part, Ozai ordered me to leave the palace and to never return, lest I do the same to him. He assured me that you and your brother would be safe in his hands, but-"

"He lied," Azula snapped at the door. "You've seen Zuko. That's the work of _your_ absence, Ursa."

"I know... and what happened to you was, too."

Azula snarled, "No, that had nothing to do with him. You betrayed me by leaving me, and you called me a monster. You never loved me like you loved Zuko, and I know you still don't. You only came to the capital to welcome him back, not because I'm here."

"That's not true, Azula," Ursa replied. "Just open the door and we can talk about this civilly."

Standing up and stomping towards the door, Azula scowled as she gripped the handle and yanked it open. Ursa was standing there, age lining her face and streaking her hair. She had looked so young when she left, and now she was a shell of the beautiful woman she had been back then. Dressed in peasant garb also put the cherry on that pitiful sundae.

"I don't think we will ever be able to have this conversation in a _civil_ _manner_," Azula growled.

Ursa stared at her sadly, like she always had when Azula was a child, and bowed her head in defeat. "I know, but if you really don't want to talk that's fine. I just want to let you know that I love you, and whenever you think you might be ready to talk I will be here."

Feeling her eyes prickle and her throat tighten, Azula swallowed thickly and crossed her arms. She really didn't want to feel like this, but no matter how much she tried she couldn't deny that hearing her mother say those three words was something she desired for a while. Despite being furious with the woman, Azula wanted her mother's approval and love. But her anger outweighed any sentiment at the moment, so she just crossed her arms and snapped, "Don't expect that to be soon. You abandoned me, Ursa, so forgiving you overnight isn't bound to happen."

"I know."

"And I can honestly tell you that I won't for a while."

"I know, and I wouldn't expect you to," Ursa replied softly. "I just want you to find it in your heart to someday forgive me of my sins towards you and your brother. The outcome was far more disastrous than I ever thought it could have been."

Azula was about to respond, but her eyes caught the movement of Sokka running down the hall, Suki- dressed completely in her Kyoshi garb- running behind him, right towards them. Fearing danger, Azula unconsciously shifted her left foot back and clenched her hands in fists. The look on his face was unreadable so it was bound to be something bad, she could just feel it.

He skidded to a halt next to Ursa, panting and sweating profusely, and then incoherently began blabbering out, "Ship... people in... here..."

Ursa looked to Suki, who hadn't even broken a sweat, and asked, "Can you understand that?"

Suki nodded and grinned, "Yes, ma'am. I told him not to wear himself out running down here, but he insisted. What he was trying to tell you was that the Royal Cruiser is about to dock in the Southern port. Iroh wanted us to meet them at the harbor."

"That's what I said!" Sokka huffed out. "The carriages are waiting for us at the entrance."

"Thank you both," Ursa said, nodding. "We should be there shortly."

"I'm not going," Azula blurted out. Three pairs of eyes turned to her, and she felt the hairs on her neck stand up. They looked at her as if she grew another head. Had they not known she was not the sentimental type? Greeting Iroh, Katara, and Zuko was not her type of thing. And despite her annoyance at their blatant disregard to her typical behavior, she got defensive and crossed her arms tighter across her chest. "I won't be welcome, and I'm certain Zuko wouldn't want to see me. So I'll just stay here and wait for you all to get back."

"You shouldn't stay here alone, Azula," Ursa countered, stepping towards her and lifting up her hand to place on the princess's shoulder.

Azula batted the hand away and glared at her mother. "Do you think I'm a child? I can sit in the palace for an hour without a babysitter."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Suki and Sokka exchange a few hushed words. The two of them were awfully in sync, Azula observed, and there was a tiny pang of jealousy deep in her stomach. She couldn't understand why, and that angered her even further. Things were just not going the way she wanted them to today.

Suki turned back towards Ursa and bowed slightly towards the former royal. "If you don't mind, my Lady, but I can leave the Kyoshi warriors here to watch Azula while we all go to the docks. I don't think that should be an issue, since I'll be there to guard you."

"And I'll be there, too," Sokka added, putting his arm around Suki's shoulders and patting his hip where his machete rested. Azula just rolled her eyes, turned on her heel and completely ignored the three objections from the hall as she shut and locked her door behind her. For some reason, there was a tightening in her chest and her heart wouldn't stop racing. She figured it was because what she had been avoiding thinking about for the past two weeks was finally caught up with her.

It was time to meet her maker.

* * *

_tbc._


	13. Restless

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA._

**_A/N _**_I just want to say that__ I'm super sorry about the big wait in between chapters. Christmas back home was nuts (if you don't follow me on tumblr, then you won't know what I'm talking about. And I'm not going to explain, so let's just say it was crazy) and I didn't have time to write or even check on the story. I'm a flake... So here's a super long chapter to compensate._

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Restless**

* * *

"So how are you feeling, nephew?"

"Like shit."

Iroh grinned broadly and chuckled as he lowered his cup of tea. "I see your sense of humor hasn't faltered."

Zuko glared at him. "I don't see how that was funny."

Taking another sip, Iroh cast Zuko a knowing glance over the top of his cup. "It wasn't."

With a pout, Zuko grabbed his own cup and downed it in one gulp before reaching for one of the scrolls that had been placed on the nightstand. But before he could even brush his fingers against the parchment, his hand was slapped away by Iroh, who suspiciously was still drinking out of his cup with his eyes closed.

"What was that for?"

"You need to rest, nephew," Iroh replied, setting down his cup on the table. "I brought these in to discuss with you, not for you to read alone. You still need time to heal and that's why I'm here."

"Why would you bring me work if you won't let me do it?" Zuko grumbled, rubbing his now stinging hand against his chest.

Iroh smiled and took the scroll Zuko had tried to grab and unrolled it. "Because it's not just work. It's get well soon notes! I thought I could help you write replies. Just so your well-wishers can know you're alright."

At that comment, Zuko's face fell and he looked away. "But I'm not alright, uncle."

"They don't need to know that," Iroh replied gently with his hand on the younger firebender's knee in order to ease him. "They just need to know that you're no longer in danger and will be returning to your throne soon. Besides, it's only the Water Tribe chiefs and King Bumi. Kuei already knows you're alright, and news of your abduction wasn't spread further than the High Council and the other world leaders. And even that was classified information."

Zuko crossed his arms and mumbled something about _stupid thank you notes and propriety _under his breath, while Iroh simply smiled before pouring him another cup of tea. As he did so, Zuko saw Iroh glance at him from the corner of his eye and say in a casual tone, "So I hear Miss Katara is staying around for a while to keep an eye on you."

Feeling his cheeks heat, Zuko cleared his throat and shrugged halfheartedly. "Yeah... She decided it would be best, since I'm not fully healed and all."

He could see Iroh nod knowingly before handing him the cup. "I see... She was looking very worn down when she was taking care of you. I almost had to pry her away from your side so she would get some sleep and something to eat. But she wouldn't move until you got better."

Zuko's eyes widened and he tried to cover his shock by taking a drink. He ignored how scalding hot it was and swallowed it all before clearing his throat again. "Really? Why would she do that?"

Iroh shrugged noncommittally, poorly hiding the grin growing on his face, and replied, "She just really wanted to make sure you were alright. When I first arrived, I caught her slumped over on your arm because she fell asleep in the middle of one of her healing sessions. Poor girl wore herself to the bone to bring you back."

Zuko stared down to his lap, where his empty cup was cradled in his hands. Just one more thing he'd have on his list of debts to her. Sighing, he closed his eyes and thought about how much she had risked in order to save him. First her own safety, and now her health. Had she even eaten while she was healing him? Come to think of it, she obviously hadn't slept much probably since she found him. There were dark circles under her eyes and she had seemed drowsy the second time she came to see him last night. Or was that just because she was sad that Aang left?

"Avatar Aang wasn't so happy about it," Iroh added, casting Zuko another glance over the rim of his teacup. "He was pretty angry that she was wearing herself so thin in here."

Zuko's head snapped up. "What?"

"I overheard a couple of servants gossiping outside in the hall last night," Iroh said, lowering his cup to his lap and sighing. "Apparently the two had a fight in the stables, and it wasn't pretty. Now, I'm not one to pass judgement but it seems the young Avatar was mad at her for spending time with you and had been angry that she wasn't taking care of herself at all. Before I told her to clean up, she was still dressed in the clothes she had been wearing when they found you. In fact, she had a couple of cuts on her arms and sides that appeared to have been bleeding. By then, I convinced her to shower and change while I watched over you. But Avatar Aang was not too pleased about it all, regardless of the situation."

Unable to suppress the urge, Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. Katara was so stupid sometimes, putting others and their safety above her own. Sometimes is was admirable, but others it was downright stressful to her friends. Like right now. How could she do that to herself? If he wasn't so weak, he'd be stomping down to her room right this second and demand she take a long nap. That or at least a hot bath with a cup of jasmine tea and a good meal.

"What is she doing now?"

Iroh stroked his beard and replied thoughtfully, "Not too sure. On my way over here, I ran into her while she was heading towards the gardens. For all I know, she could be doing something else. In fact, King Kuei was requesting her help with drawing up new trade documents between the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom."

Zuko stared at his uncle for a few moments, contemplating his next move. She was all alone, probably for the first time in years, and most likely sad. She needed someone to talk to, and that had to be him. Struggling, Zuko put his cup on the table and threw off his duvet. As soon as he swung his legs off the bed, Iroh stood and pressed his hands against Zuko's uninjured shoulder.

"No, nephew, you need to rest."

"But she needs me right now," Zuko said, looking up pitifully as Iroh forced him back under the blankets. "She needs a friend. It's the least I can do for her, after all she's done for me."

Iroh smiled and handed Zuko one of the scrolls. "And you will be able to. For now, just let her have some time to herself. You and I are going to tackle these replies and _then_ you can go see her."

Zuko groaned in defeat, then frustratingly opened the scroll. He might as well compromise, that way Iroh would get off his case for the time being. It was just get well notes weren't on the list of compromises he wanted to make. He wanted to see Katara right now.

* * *

It was going to rain, she could tell. The air was thick and cold with an incoming front of storms. The clouds above were swirling and threatening to tear open at any moment. It was the rain the Earth Kingdom needed, and just the thing to reflect the turbulence in her heart.

Aang was gone and for the first time in years she was alone. It didn't really hit her until she went to bed last night and he wasn't there. For so long, he was always sleeping near her, and now he was probably on the other side of the world. She wasn't used to being by herself and it hurt more than she would care to admit. But what made her sad wasn't the fact that Aang was gone, it was the fact that she wasn't completely devastated. Shouldn't she be completely distraught over this? Shouldn't she be crying into her pillow, wishing he would come back? She missed him, yes, but it wasn't his company she wanted. She just didn't want to be alone.

So why was she spending her time in the garden, where no one else could find her? She was well hidden as she leaned against the bridge that crossed over the small creek cutting through the center of the courtyard, and she knew she could only be found if someone physically walked right alongside the structure. Hiding was really the only thing she could do right now. She wanted to see Zuko, but she knew Iroh was there with him now. That meant going there wasn't an option, despite her strong urge to do so.

She had spent enough time in his room- more than her own- anyway. So much of her time had been dedicated to healing him that she didn't have the time to heal herself. The cuts in her skin made by the mercenary's knives had been deep enough that superficial healing wouldn't do enough. Neither would her lack of energy. So instead she wrapped them in some bandages, ones that peaked out from underneath her sleeves and caught her eye every time her arm moved.

And despite her loneliness, Katara figured she probably needed some time to herself, anyway. News of Aang's departure had already spread through the palace, and people were bound to ask questions and talk despite the lack of information as to why he left in such a hurry. What she needed was to avoid everyone's speculation and judgmental stares for as long as possible. It was the least she could do for her dignity.

Her solitude, however, was cut short when a few servants came out and began covering some of the more tender of flowers with some cloth so the petals wouldn't be stripped away by the incoming downpour. So with a heavy sigh, Katara stood and made her way back inside to her room. On the way, she counted her steps- just to get her mind off of everything else. Kuei wanted her to help with drawing up some trade agreements, Zuko probably needed another healing session, and she still needed to pack for their trip back to the Fire Nation. There was just too much to do and too little energy to do it with.

Though instead of doing any of those things, Katara closed her door behind her and sat at her vanity. With practiced fingers, she unraveled her braid and began combing out any of the knots. It was something do that wasn't something that needed to be done. It was perfect right now.

Soon after she mindlessly began playing with her hair, the trembling sound of thunder shook the walls of the palace, deepening her trance. She continuously stared with glazed eyes as her fingers plucked her hair into different braids, then unraveling the strands and plaiting them into a new style. For a while, things remained like this; rain hitting her window and lightning brightening her room as she wove her hair around. And just as she started a new, more complex braid, a familiar voice called from behind her.

"Hey."

Katara's eyes snapped away from her reflection and right to the doorway in the mirror, only to see Zuko leaning against the frame, arms crossed, and a cautious look on his face. Letting go of her hair, she smiled warmly and turned around to face him completely. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

He shrugged. "Better... I came here to ask you the same thing."

She frowned and tilted her head to the side as she asked, "Why?"

Zuko pushed himself off of the wall, grimacing in pain as he did, and limped over to her bed. He sat down, groaning, and replied after a moment, "Uncle told me that you hadn't been sleeping or eating while you were taking care of me. I wanted to make sure nothing was wrong."

Katara looked down to her lap, ashamed, and chewed on her lip. "I was just looking out for you, Zuko. You were really hurt... I wanted to make sure you didn't die."

She heard him snort and she looked up to see him smirking and shaking his head. She glared at him but he ignored it, proceeding to laugh bitterly as he said, "And in the process, not taking care of yourself. You always do this, Katara. I wasn't _that_ bad off. You could have at least healed your own wounds and cleaned yourself up before Uncle ordered you to."

With a glare, Katara crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to focus on the bandages on her biceps again. She saw Zuko's eyes flicker to them, but she quickly deflected by snapping at him, "You were far worse than you think, Zuko. Your health and safety are a lot more important than some scratches."

His eyes narrowed. "That's beside the point, Katara. You were wearing yourself thin. Uncle noticed, obviously Aang noticed-"

She grimaced and looked away.

"-and now I've noticed. I'm worried about you, especially since Aang left. You need to take it easy now that I'm awake, okay?"

Her eyes prickled with the onset of tears. She knew he was right, and he had every right to lecture her. Now that he was certainly alive, she had no reason to neglect herself, despite the desires in the back of her mind telling her to. Keeping her mind focused on him was helping her ignore the awful emptiness in her heart.

She swallowed against the dryness in her throat. Having someone take care of her and worry about her well-being wasn't of the norm; it was always her doing the worrying and attending. And Zuko was here, worrying about her like she would him any time she saw he was distressed. It was surreal, having the tables turned like this, and all Katara wanted was for it to be back to the way it had been before. Having him focus on her just made her think of the things she had been avoiding since Aang left the night before.

"Katara?"

Without batting an eye, Katara steadied herself and stood, brushed out the wrinkles in her shirt, then walked over to where Zuko was sitting on her bed and knelt in front of him. His eyes widened when she had been approaching, yet he didn't show any other sign of surprise. And it remained the same when she lifted her hand and placed it on his forehead.

"How are _you _feeling?" she deflected.

Zuko's eyes then narrowed again, along with his furrowing brows, and he pushed her hand away from his face. "We aren't talking about me, Katara. We're talking about _you _and how _you're _doing."

Scowling, she snapped back without thinking. "There's nothing to say. If I wanted to talk about it, then I would! Just leave it alone, okay?"

To Katara's shock, Zuko's eyes almost immediately softened with understanding. He always used to push right back when she would shove him in the wrong way. Instead of fighting her, he was letting it go. It was weird, just because it made her see that he had changed without her even realizing it. Or maybe there was more to it than she could initially think about.

Zuko took the hand he had swatted away and put it back on his forehead, wordlessly conveying his acceptance of her silence. With a thankful smile, she focused on his temperature. It was hard, considering how close his face was to hers and how she could see him still looking at her out of the corner of her eye. It was a strange thing, especially since their proximity was the same as it had been when she was healing him before, and for some reason she couldn't calm the heavy beating in her heart or the way her mind was just wanting to force her eyes to look back into his. How was it that in just under a minute she could go from snapping at Zuko to being so intimately close without it being uncomfortable?

It was purely for health reasons, though.

At least, that's what she told herself.

And after a considerable amount of time had passed, she removed her hand from Zuko's forehead- albeit a little regrettably- and gave him a small smile before standing up and peering down at him. He glanced up at her, an expectant- and possibly disappointed- look on his face, as she said, "No more fever. Which is good. But you still need to rest. Would you please just go back to your room and lay down?"

Heaving a discontented sigh, Zuko dropped his chin and replied, "Fine. Only if you'll talk to me when you're ready."

Katara smiled even wider and extended her hand out to him. "Of course."

He looked at her hand for a moment, then gingerly put it in his own. With a little bit of a struggle, he stood, towering over her, and tugged her hand as he limped towards the door. She had every intention of letting him walk back to his room by himself, but watching him work so hard to even stand she consented he would need her as an escort. Without another word, she slowly began leading him back to his room.

Holding his hand the entire way.

* * *

The next few days were slow and quiet. Zuko spent a lot of time in his room, either sleeping or reading over some of the scrolls Iroh had brought for him. Katara insisted that he leave politics alone while he healed, but he insisted on doing it even harder. According to him, being away from the Fire Nation for so long could be detrimental. Even if the people knew of the situation, which they didn't, he was their leader and he couldn't be gone for too long. He couldn't bear the idea of abandoning his people, even if it was unintentional.

After the third night of her catching him squinting at a financial report by candlelight, she snatched all of the scrolls away from him- ignoring his whines of protest- and sat on the foot of his bed. He stared at her like she grew a second head, but she ignored that look as well as she unrolled one and scanned the contents. It was a doctor's report on Azula, summarizing a visit she had with him when she arrived back in the Capital. She was apparently had been hesitant of all questions asked, but relinquished all resistance after he admitted that they had no intention of locking her away again.

According to the doctor, she was pretty stable but still was a little uneasy about the things going on around her. And apparently it didn't get any better when her mother arrived in the Capital with Ikem and Kiyi a few days later. But she had mellowed out significantly with her daily tea "dates" with Sokka and her sparring matches with Toph. Together, the two of them had help her avoid Ursa almost completely. And the doctor believed it would help her heal in time.

Once Katara finished reading the report, she rolled it back up and set it down in her lap. With a smile, she asked, "So what do you plan to do with Azula?"

Zuko shrugged, then leaned back against the headboard of the bed. "I guess keep her at the palace. Going to stay with my mother isn't an option, obviously. And I don't think sending her back to the asylum will do her any good. Being back home with some of her dignity in tact and the routine she used to have should help her heal the most."

Katara paused thoughtfully, knowing what she was about to ask was a subject Zuko probably didn't want to broach upon. But seeing the ease on his face convinced her to take a steadying breath before whispering, "Do you really think you'll be able to take care of her?"

The unsaid _'because you'll be busy taking care of yourself' _hung in the air, and she could tell Zuko understood it clearly because he answered it regardless. "I'll be fine. Uncle has offered to stay and help a little longer, and I think my people will understand if I'm out of commission for a while. Once the situation is explained to them, at least."

"I can always stay and help."

He stared at her incredulously for a moment, then frowned and waved his hand at her. "I thought you wanted to do your own thing."

"There are more important things that require my attention," she replied with a smile. "And I think my soul searching can wait."

_Because you need me more._

Gratitude was written all over Zuko's exhausted face, and he gave her a small smile. "I appreciate it. You're a wonderful friend."

There was something in his eyes, twinkling almost with things unsaid and his own silent thoughts. She knew the look she was giving him mirrored how he stared at her, and something warm bloomed in her chest like she had drank some happy-inducing tea.

_Anything for you._

"I just want to make sure you're okay."

He took a deep breath, demeanor changing to something darker, and exhaled heavily. "I think I will be. In time."

She put a hand on his blanket-covered knee and said gently, "You went through a lot. I wouldn't expect you to be better and bounce back in just a few days. So it's better for you to take it easy. And as your unofficial caretaker, I order you to go back to sleep. You look like you're about to pass out, and we're leaving in the morning for the Fire Nation."

He seemed a little baffled, but flashed her a smile- a sliver of old Zuko peeking through as he did- and tiredly nodded once. She stood, scooping up the scrolls into her arms, and bid him goodnight as she closed the door behind her. As soon as the door handle clicked, she pressed her back against the door and heaved out the breath she had been holding.

For some reason, her heart was thumping against her ribs and she was feeling light-headed. She couldn't explain it, nor did she even want to force herself to think about why it was happening. All she wanted to do was crawl under her sheets and sleep the night away. Tomorrow they would embark for the Fire Nation, and that meant one more step towards uncertain independence.

Tonight she would need to sleep. And try to ignore the growing presence of Zuko in her dreams.

* * *

He watched her leave, her arms full of his scrolls, with some sense of ridiculous longing. He couldn't stop himself from staring at her back, lithe and petite beneath her blue robe, or how her hips shook back and forth with every single one of her steps. He had never focused on the way she moved before- not like this- and it was driving him nuts. It was like watching someone dance, so graceful and light like water flowing in a stream. All he wanted to do was run his fingers through that water and bring it to his-

Zuko covered his face with his hands, groaning loudly, and rolled onto his side. Why was this happening to him? Katara was his best friend, and Aang's girlfriend! How could he let himself think things like this?

It was the stress. Yes, that's what it was. Being locked up for so long, thinking of his friends and having her save him was just his mind coping. It couldn't be anything serious.

Zuko opened his eyes, sliding his hands down to his chin as he rolled back onto his back, and stared at the dark ceiling. If that was truly the case, why did he dream of only _her_ when he was in the dungeon? Why did he wish and hope with all of his might that _she_ would be the one to break him out of his chains and free him? No amount of Yura's torture would break him, not even when he was about to die. Katara kept him strong, even though at the time he didn't realize it. She always had a talent for that, especially in times when he would question his own ability to be a good person, she would be in the back of his mind telling him to take the tough road even if it was the right thing.

Because that's what good friends did for each other.

Zuko felt some sense of accomplishment at that thought. She was just a good friend, looking out for him. Besides, he was starting to feel drowsy, so he let himself slip into slumber. Thinking more on this would just keep him up all night. So instead, he fell asleep almost instantly.

_She was standing in the distance, long and curly hair floating around her as if she was submerged in water. She was looking right at him, a small smile on her lips as he approached her. His feet felt heavy, like they were full of lead, but he trudged on towards her outstretched arms. His name was on her lips, but no sound came out. She just kept mouthing it over and over again, her expression turning from loving to concerned, to anxious then scared. She was frantic now, silently screaming for him as her blue eyes continued to get wider and wider as he trudged closer and closer._

_He was reaching for her now, hands barely able to even touch her when she began sinking into the ground. The earth was rising up, swallowing her whole faster than he could get her. It kept inching up, and she was screaming, so loud but with no sound by the time the earth had reached her head. His feet were so heavy, but he was on his knees right where she had been standing by the time her beautiful blue eyes had vanished beneath the rock._

_Tears should have been falling, he surely could feel the pain that brought them on, but the emptiness and blank feeling in his face was all too real when he clawed at the ground, hoping to dig her out. He saw the blood and the skin on his fingers wear down, but he only stopped when a pair of familiar dirty brown boots stepped into his line of vision. He looked up, only to see angry green eyes glare down at him._

_"You should have died. So she could have lived. It's all your fault."_

_A strong fist was raised, just as the ground climbed up and swallowed him whole._

Zuko woke up, gasping for air and clawing at his throat. For a moment, he couldn't breathe and his vision swam. The darkness was blinding. His throat was thick. His sweat was cold and sticky. He shivered just as he exhaled heavily, hoping some fire would come out and heat him up. When nothing came out, to his dismay, he collapsed against his mattress. He ignored the stiff pain in his body, screaming in protest as he curled in on himself and pressed at his temples with the heels of his hands.

There was throbbing behind his eyes, and something was constricting in his chest. What he just saw, it wasn't real. It was just a dream. He was still alive, and if he went down the hall he would see Katara was certainly still alive, as well. And Yura was dead, not looming above him ready to strike at any moment. He was gone.

And Katara was safe.

Once his breathing slowed for the most part, Zuko rolled onto his back and stared back at the ceiling. He kept chanting in his head _"It's not real, it's not real, it's not real" _over and over until his heart calmed and his breathing evened out. It was happening, all over again. He would have dreams like this right at the beginning of his banishment, and now he was dreaming of Yura.

But now it was of Yura hurting Katara, not him like it had been before.

He knew why, now. Though he didn't want to say it out loud, or even voice completely in his mind. That would just make this problem even more real than he would like. Dreaming of her was just making these revelations come to the forefront of his problems. Feeling this way about her- _especially _about her- was going to pose a bigger problem than he would care to admit.

Zuko heaved a big breath and buried his face into his pillow. He would just have to figure this out soon, and avoiding her in the process. Seeing her face wouldn't make this any easier.

* * *

The ride to the Fire Nation was quiet and- for some unexplainable reason- tense. Not once did Zuko and Katara cross paths, but she assumed it was because he had holed himself up in his room. Iroh had apparently tried to talk to him, but the Fire Lord would only leave solitude to eat and sometimes get some fresh air. His room had windows, Katara knew because hers was right next to his, and he kept it open at all times. When she passed his door- wanting to knock but changing her mind every time- she would smell the brine of the ocean and hear the sounds of waves being sliced through by the bow.

On the fourth night, right before they were supposed to arrive in the Fire Nation, Katara woke to the sound of screaming. She bolted out of her room, forgoing her robe, and ran to the room next to hers. The door swung open and she saw Zuko sitting up in his bed, head in his hands, panting for breath and sweating enough to drench his sheets. She went over to his bed and put steady hands on his shoulders, ignoring the stinging heat that came from his skin, and rubbed soothing circles with her thumbs.

"Zuko," she murmured. He didn't answer. "Zuko, talk to me. What's wrong?"

He shook his head and took in a heavy breath, a shuddering and unsettling sound, and removed his hands from his face. But he kept silent.

"Tell me, Zuko."

He looked up to her, eyes sunken and dull, and Katara realized just then how little he must actually be sleeping right now. He looked haunted, trapped in his own head. He must have been thinking about his nightmare, because every time his eyes darted back and forth around her face he would tense and shiver and blink rapidly at the same time. Before she knew it, he slung his arms around her body- pulling her into a bone-crushing hug and burying his face into the crook of her neck.

Her breath caught in her throat and it took less than half of a second for her to wrap her arms around him as well. She ignored the odd fluttering feeling in her stomach, or the tightening of her chest when he pressed himself fully against her. He enveloped her in his warmth, body flush against hers, and it felt like he would never let go. It was a fleeting thing, and Katara knew it meant nothing. He was just scared, that's all. And she was just comforting him.

He was still shaking when she began stroking his back and hushing him. The wetness of his tears and sweat hit her shoulder, even when his breathing started to calm from the erratic panting he had been doing when she came into his room. After what felt like an eternity- though it honestly couldn't have been more than ten minutes- he slackened his grip on her and pulled away; head still bowed and hidden from her view.

Keeping her hands on his shoulders, she murmured, "Do you want to talk about it?"

He inhaled sharply- still unsteady from his crying- and he shook his head. He replied hoarsely, "No. I'm sorry I woke you up, go back to sleep."

Her hands tightened and she pursed her lips. "I'm not leaving until you tell me what happened."

She thought he wasn't going to reply, but she was determined to stick around until he either told her what he had dreamed about or he fell asleep. Eventually one would happen. And just when she thought he was starting to drift back into his slumber, he lifted his head and looked straight into her eyes. Again, she felt her heart flip in her chest.

"I saw him again."

His voice was barely above a whisper, but she could still hear it in the still silence of the room.

"Yura?"

Zuko flinched at the sound of the man's name, but nodded and looked back down to his lap. "I haven't been able to sleep... because every time I do I dream that he's come back to kill me and you because you saved me... And every time I'm helpless to do anything... be-because I still can't bend and I can't protect you when I'm this weak and I just _can't_ lose you-"

When his voice started to get panicky, she pulled him back into a hug and cradled his head against her chest, resting her chin on top. She hushed him again, smoothing his hair down as she did, and said softly, "You have nothing to worry about, Zuko. Yura is gone and you're safe. Besides, even if someone came back for you- which they won't- I will be here. And I can take care of you."

His arms were locked around her waist, face pressed against her neck again, and he grumbled childishly, "I don't want to have you protect me."

She scoffed, "And I don't need _you_ to protect _me_! You forget I'm a master waterbender and am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." She pulled him away momentarily and pressed two fingers against the starburst scar on his stomach, "Don't forget that the last time you tried to protect me you got this. And about your bending, it will come back soon enough. They had been poisoning you with suppressants for a while, so it's built up in your system. Once it's gone you should be able to bend just like you did before."

He stared at her for a long moment, unconvinced. So she took her hand and cupped the left side of his face, feeling the rough texture of his scar under her fingertips and palm. He immediately melted into her touch, eyes closing and a soft exhale coming out to tickle the inside of her wrist.

"You're going to be fine, Zuko," she said quietly, watching him as he opened his eyes again and pinned her down with a molten stare. She swallowed thickly, not fully understanding why a simple look like that could do so much to her insides, and continued, "You're strong and capable, and you have plenty of people who are willing to help you recover. It's going to take time, but you will be so much stronger when you conquer this."

For the first time in days, Katara got to see Zuko smile- even if it was small. "Thank you, Katara."

Her heart did yet another back flip. "You know I'm here for you."

He nodded once and lifted his hand to hold hers against his face for a little longer. For a moment, they just sat face to face- staring into each other's eyes like the solution to every problem in their lives was in the depths in which they looked. He closed his eyes first, sighing and relaxing further into her touch. Katara was a little relieved- as well as slightly disappointed- that he did, but kept her hand where he held it.

"Would you mind... staying here for a little bit?"

"Huh?"

Zuko's eyes opened again, staring at her again with nothing but clarity. His good cheek appeared to get a little pinker, and he blinked a few times before looking down to his lap, taking her hand and holding it there, and replying, "I mean, could you stay here until I fall back asleep?"

With a giggle and a grin, Katara nodded and stood so he could lay back down. Once he was settled against his pillow, she sat back down and began stroking his hair. She hummed softly, an old Water Tribe lullaby, and watched as his eyes began to droop and settle into sleep. She waited and kept staring at him, observing how at peace he seemed in his slumber. There was something about sitting here, drenched in moonlight, and keeping a guarding eye on her friend that made Katara feel like she was in an out-of-body experience. Like she was watching herself watch Zuko as he sleep and she could only imagine the look on her face as she leaned down and pressed her lips against the new and faint pink scar on his forehead.

Something was happening to her, and she didn't really know why it had to happen now.

* * *

_tbc._


	14. Home

_Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA_

**_A/N_**_ This is the second to last chapter of this story! And it's a doozy. _

**Chapter Fourteen: Home**

* * *

Zuko felt warm. Not in the comfortable way, but in the unbearable way. It wasn't the kind of warm that came along with a fever or even firebending, but the kind of warm that happened when he would be under too many blankets at high noon on a summer day. Determined to fix that and cool off, he sleepily kicked his feet a few times to shrug off the blankets, only to find out that he had been covered with just a thin sheet. However, he found that the reason he was so warm did not like the lack of covers at all.

His eyes shot open to see Katara curled up against him, bushy hair covering her face and fanned out on the pillow they shared. Her hands were cradled against her chest, near where her cheek was pressed against his arm. As soon as the sheet left her legs, she had pressed herself closer to his body in order to suck up any and all of the warmth he had.

Zuko had no idea she had even stayed the night, let alone share his bed. He assumed she had been tired when he accidentally woke her up last night, but he didn't expect her to fall asleep instead of leaving.

He had to fight the way his stomach flipped and his heart raced at the thought of her sleeping next to him. And as he swallowed thickly and attempted to stop himself from thinking incredibly inappropriate thoughts, she shifted against him, brushing against his bare torso with hers. His heart leapt up against his rib cage and he was certain his heartbeat alone would wake her from her peaceful slumber.

Looking up towards his window, Zuko saw that it wasn't even dawn yet, so he allowed himself to close his eyes and try to fall back asleep. At least with Katara by his side, he might not have another bad dream. He didn't after she came during the night, so maybe now would be the same. Soon, he drifted right back into a deep slumber.

_Wind swirled around him, tousling his hair in front of his eyes and almost pushing him off of his feet. Zuko looked up and around, but he saw that not even the trees in the distance or the grass in front of him were moving, as if he was just stuck in a vortex of air surrounding just him. The ground then began to shake underneath his feet, knocking him down. _

_Looking up, Zuko could see the source of the whirlwind descending down towards him. Aang landed near his feet, eyes aglow, and he stomped his foot on the ground, causing a chasm to form in between them._

_With the voice of a thousand Avatars before him, Aang shouted, "I thought you were my friend!"_

_Zuko shielded his eyes from the growing light that came from Aang, and cried back, "I am! I'm your friend, Aang!"_

_"How could you do this to me?!"_

_The air was pushing him down even harder now, but Zuko managed to shout over the roaring sound of the vortex, "What did I do?!"_

_The whirlwind began to speed up, lifting debris around Aang and swirling around him faster than Zuko's mind could register. Blinded by the dirt and wind, Zuko didn't catch when Aang began walking forward, almost completely covered by the earth he was bending. Somehow he made it over the canyon between them and just as he reached Zuko's feet, he had changed. Instead of the Avatar standing above him, it was once again Yura towering above him with a malicious glare._

_Zuko scrambled backwards, away from Yura, and struggled to get to his feet, but he was knocked face-down into the dirt. Tasting blood on his tongue, Zuko didn't have time to fight when his arms were lifted up and out, causing him to arch his back and lift his face up. A hand wrapped around his neck and he was forced to look up into Yura's eyes. _

_Sneering, he said, "You know _exactly _what you did, Zuko."_

_Yura forced Zuko to face over the chasm to see Katara standing across the way- hair falling in soft curls over the swell of her nude breasts and covering her naked body. She was just staring at him, eyes blank and empty, before she fell face first into the pit between them._

_He wanted to shout for her, but his voice didn't leave his throat- like it was trapped under the grip of Yura's hand. He struggled against his invisible bonds, feeling a feathery touch against his cheeks. It was like someone was touching him in the way his tears were supposed to fall. And just as he managed to move one of his arms out of Yura's grip, he was pushed down into the pit as well._

_He kept falling and falling, but it didn't seem like he was even moving further down. All he could see was Yura's eyes staring at him, glaring and then glowing as he suddenly turned back into Aang. It was like before in Yu Dao, but this time Aang didn't come to save him. He just stared as Zuko fell deeper and deeper into the bottomless pit. _

_And just before everything went black, he heard Aang say, "You know exactly what you're doing, Zuko."_

His eyes shot open, heart racing faster than a hummingbird trapped in a cage. He could barely focus on the ceiling, because all he could see was Katara leaning over him, eyes worried and frantic. Her hair fell down around them, blocking out part of the sunlight and everything else around them. All he could see was her.

"Zuko?" she shook his shoulders a couple of times, then tucked her hair behind her ear. Her hand went back to his forehead, pushing back his bangs as she exclaimed, "Zuko! Look at me!"

He blinked once, then twice. His heart was slowing down, thankfully, and he swallowed. Katara visibly relaxed once she saw him move and react, and she sat back on to the mattress. With a big sigh, she pushed her hair away from her face again. He gave her a few moments, figuring she was doing the same for him, and slowly let himself sit up. She was watching him warily, but he was avoiding her stare. He knew what was behind those eyes of hers, and looking right in them would just remind him of how dead they were in his mind just moments before.

"Are you going to tell me about it?"

Immediately, he shook his head. He felt cold, yet so hot at the same time, and he wanted to do whatever it took to forget what he just dreamt. He knew what the implications were if he admitted what his dreams were telling him. Admitting his feelings, and his fears surrounding them, would just mean so much more trouble for him now than it ever could. Katara wouldn't understand. She never could.

"Zuko, look at me."

She said it again, and this time he didn't want to listen. But against his better judgement, he lifted his chin in order to level his gaze on her. Those blues were glowing, staring him down with compassion and more caring and strength than he could ever imagine from any mortal being. She was a goddess, sitting on his bed, holding his hand like it was nothing. She cared about him so much, yet she had no idea what she was starting to do to him.

"It's nothing."

"You were screaming and had tears coming out of your eyes. So obviously, it's not nothing. Tell me."

Choking on his own words, Zuko let his mouth hang open for a few seconds as he looked into her eyes, before shaking his head and looking away. How could he tell her that he was dreaming these things? She would never understand, despite her usual empathetic nature. Letting her know about the subject of his dreams would open a can of worms he could never truly clean up.

He steeled himself, realizing lying was the only way he could get her to stop asking. If she knew he was dreaming about her, that he was thinking about her so much that it made his heart hurt, things would never be the same. He needed to get over things fast, or else it would only get worse. For the time being, lying was his only option to keep her off his case.

"Zuko-"

"I just," he paused and took a deep breath, turning back to her yet still avoiding her eyes, "it was him again..."

It wasn't a total lie. He just left out the more important parts.

Katara's hand came to his shoulder, squeezing gently. "I'm so sorry, Zuko. You know that it's not real, he can't hurt you anymore."

Ignoring the urge to roll his eyes, Zuko sighed and replied, "I know... I can't help what I dream about."

That was the truth, too.

"Zuko," Katara's other hand came to his arm, squaring their shoulders. It was then that he realized she was only dressed in her wrappings- like she used to during bending practices or when she would go bathe. His cheeks flared to burning hot, and his heart raced again, thumping up into his dry throat like it was trying to escape and reveal to Katara his innermost secrets and desires. Katara must have not noticed his tensing up or the way his face went beet red, so she just continued, "You'll get better soon. It'll take time and effort, but you can do it. I know you will."

He finally looked up and into her eyes, stilling at the moment he realized how close her face was to his. Something changed in that moment, it was infinitesimal, but noticeable enough to him that he felt the air around them thickened with an odd sort of tension. Swallowing, he nodded dumbly as he stared her down. "Yeah... I... I hope so."

Katara visibly stiffened, much to Zuko's dismay, and she seemed to be frozen in place. He thought her eyes would never leave his, and for a moment time felt like it stopped as he waited for her to speak. He was screaming in his head, begging her to do something. And when he thought she was surely going to pull away from him, her eyes darted to his lips- right before she licked her own- and she nodded as well as she relaxed ever so slightly, easing him momentarily. "And... I'll be there to help you."

It was as if he was in a trance, some odd out-of-body and uncontrollable thing, and Zuko felt himself inch just a little closer to her. "Because... that's what friends do... right?"

She nodded again, much subtler this time, and kept her eyes locked on his as she whispered, "Yeah... and I'll always be here for you... because we're... friends..."

His heart was racing, hammering in his chest to the point that he thought he would explode. This was it. He was going to do it, relinquish control and let himself fall into that pit. Let himself drink that water on that hot day, drift towards her and hold on like she was the only thing tethering him to this earth. Let his lips crash into hers and die in the explosion of his buried emotions. He was going to do what his body was begging him to do and finally end this madness, once and for all.

Zuko's hands found themselves on her bare skin on her thighs, slowly moving up as he hesitantly tilted his lips towards her. He could practically taste her on his tongue now. She didn't seem to want to move away, and maybe it was Zuko's mind playing tricks on him, but it seemed like she was leaning in towards him, too. And since her hands were moving from his shoulders up to cup his neck, he had a feeling that he really wasn't imagining anything. This was actually happening.

Just at the second Zuko began to close his eyes, ready to press his lips against hers, there was a loud knocking against his door that it caused them both to jump up and away from each other. Zuko cursed, and rubbed his eyes just after seeing the look of complete disappointment on Katara's heavily blushing face.

"Fire Lord Zuko! We are about to arrive at the docks of the Capital."

Zuko stood, wobbling slightly before he groaned in anger and replied, "Thank you. Is that all?"

"No, your Majesty."

"Then you're dismissed."

The sound of retreating footsteps echoed on the other side of his door, and he didn't even bother to turn around until he couldn't hear them anymore. With a sigh, he turned on his heels and met Katara's eyes. She was still blushing, and was playing with the ends of her tousled hair nervously as she chewed on her lip. Fighting the thought of wanting to chew on that lip himself, Zuko cleared his throat and looked to the ground.

"I think we'd better..."

"Yeah," she said quickly, standing up and fidgeting her toes. "I need to get cleaned up and pack up the rest of my stuff."

Trying to avoid catching her hypnotic stare, he nodded and waited until she walked past and out of his room. The sound of her door shutting shook his walls and immediately Zuko threw himself onto his bed and screamed into his pillow. There was no denying it now, no avoiding the truth because it was so obvious. It was now flooding his thoughts to the point that he was drowning.

He was in love with Katara.

* * *

Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Ursa were all waiting for them on the dock, anxiety obvious on all of their faces. They had received Iroh's letter, telling them of Zuko's condition when he was found and his progress up until then. And as soon as the Fire Lord limped down the gankplank, Ursa stepped forward and enveloped him in a big hug, stroking his hair and murmuring things in his ears. He had tensed in her arms, but relaxed fractionally after a while. Katara stared after him, feeling a sense of happiness as well as longing- for what, she did not really know- but was quickly pulled into her own hug as she recognized Sokka's arms wrapped around her neck.

"I'm so glad you guys got back safely," he said into her hair, rocking her back and forth obnoxiously. "Did Aang tell you where he was going?"

"No," Katara said tersely as she pulled out of the hug and cast Sokka an irritated glare. With a sigh, she crossed her arms and looked away. "He just had other things to take care of."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Toph's eyebrows shoot up- a response to Katara's obvious lie- and Katara had to force down the tightness in her throat before following Sokka's gaze towards Zuko, who was being lead towards one of the carriages by Ursa and Iroh.

"So he made it out in one piece, huh?"

Shrugging, Katara sighed, "For the most part."

"Do you know what else is wrong?" Suki asked, following Katara's gaze and frowning at the sight of their friend.

Katara nodded, then began walking towards the second carriage waiting for them. "Yes, but I don't think it's my place to talk about it. You all know how private he is, and I know he's having a tough enough time with all of this so he really doesn't need you guys pitying him."

She was certain she heard an exchange of confused words behind her, but she didn't mind them. Right now, she just wanted to get back to the palace, lay down, and figure out why her head was whirling and her chest was so tight.

The ride was a little bumpy and quiet, mostly because of her refusal to answer any questions regarding Zuko, the Xi Lang, or Aang, and Katara let herself sag against the seat. Sokka and Suki mainly talked with themselves, yet Toph kept her focus on Katara. It was almost obvious, but even with Toph's lack of sight in the wooden carriage, Katara knew she could tell something was up. Katara couldn't tell them, not now. Maybe not ever.

She almost kissed Zuko. She didn't know why and that thought alone was eating her up. What was she acting on? Did she really have feelings for him? Was she lost in the moment? Or was it some type of response to her happiness that he was safe and sound? Perhaps it was because she was feeling lonely now that Aang had practically abandoned her, which could also be very plausible.

The things she felt when she thought of him or when he was around were new, and strange. She never felt like that with Aang, never nervous or giddy. With Aang, she always felt comfortable and at ease. But with Zuko, something inside her was lit up like fireworks on a summer's night. It was so exhilarating and amazing she had no idea what to do with it.

But the thing was, she almost kissed him. And it seemed like he wanted to kiss her, too. He never stopped her from touching him and leaning in towards him, and from what she could tell he had started to lean in and hold onto her, too. What baffled her was, if he wanted to kiss her, why didn't he say anything about it? Why did he blow her off the majority of the trip from the Earth Kingdom and after they had been interrupted?

"Katara?"

She looked up, only to just now see that the carriage was empty and the door was open- where Suki's head poked in.

"We're here," she said softly. "Why don't you go inside and have one of the servants show you to your room? You should get some rest."

With a nod, Katara stood and followed Suki out of the carriage and towards the entrance of the palace. The sun's glare blinded her for a moment, but she couldn't miss the sound of the crowd outside of the gates. How she could have zoned out through that noise, she had no idea. Instead of dwelling on it, she searched for Zuko in front of her, but it seemed that he had already made it inside with Iroh and Ursa.

"Hey, Sugar Queen."

Katara turned on her heel to see Toph standing behind her, hoisting the one blue sack Katara had brought with her over her shoulder. Toph made her way to Katara's side, and when Katara tried to take her bag, Toph batted her hand away. "No worries, I got this. You've had a rough couple of days."

With a sigh, Katara silently agreed and followed Toph towards the front doors. "Thank you."

"No problem." Toph readjusted the bag and turned her head in Katara's direction. "Between you and me, do you really think Zuko is ever going to be the same? I can feel his vibrations and they're all sorts of wonky."

Together they passed through the threshold of the palace doors, and once they were inside Katara could see Zuko standing at the end of the grand entryway, talking with the Captain of the Royal Guard. He was standing differently, something she could only notice at a distance. And the air of confidence he once had was all but gone. The man standing there, wearing Zuko's face and his clothes, wasn't really Zuko she grew to know and love. Something in him changed when he was under Yura's custody. Something that may never change back.

"No," she said quietly, "I don't think he will ever be the same."

* * *

"You're back."

Zuko looked over his shoulder, spotting the owner of that familiar voice standing in the doorway of his room. At the sight of her, apprehension and wariness flooded over him as a gut reaction, but in spite of himself he gave her a halfhearted smile and replied, "So are you."

She took a step inside, hesitant, and kept her arms crossed over her chest. She obviously was feeling some anxiety in his presence as well. "It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Sighing, Zuko turned away from his window and faced her fully. "Yes, it is. I think..." He sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "With everything that happened, I just think it would be better for you to be at home, with me... I think I misunderstood what was going on with you and never fully gave you a chance to redeem yourself. We're family, Azula... And I think that family should work hard to make things work. No matter what."

Azula stared him down for a moment, chewing on her unpainted lip. To anyone on the outside, she would have appeared normal and in control. But to him, there was something different about this Azula that stood in front of him. She wasn't the same girl that overthrew Ba Sing Se, but she also wasn't the same girl who ran away into the Forgotten Valley just a year ago.

"Was it worth it?"

Zuko blinked a few times, not quite understanding what she had meant.

She must have saw his confusion, so she added, "Trying to find me. Getting captured and almost killed in the process? I know you're stupid and don't think things through sometimes but that truly took the cake."

He scowled. "Well, like I said: I wanted to bring you home. You never deserved the treatment I gave you. Not even once."

Azula took another step forward, then started playing with the ends of her cropped hair. "Even after everything I did?"

Zuko shook his head. "You're my sister... Instead of fighting each other, we should have stuck together. Like you said, I don't always think things through. What I've done to you in the past few years attest to that fact almost indefinitely."

She smirked and lowered her arms from her chest just to prop them on her hips. "We haven't been the most civil of siblings, have we?"

He snorted. "Not exactly."

"What changed your mind?" Azula asked in a tone that shadowed her once invincible self, as if she already knew what his answer would be, "The last time I saw you, we were throwing fire at each other."

Zuko sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He knew she would ask him sooner or later. And, like always, Azula wasn't beating around the bush. "I guess... I realized I hadn't been the best brother to you. Really for our whole lives. When I was trying to find our mother, I had planned on only using you to get through to Ozai. And I really only wanted to find her for selfish reasons... Having you tag along was the only way I could truly find her.

"I _do _want to work on things between us," he continued, "and I want to help you get better. The thing is..." He trailed off and looked away, not knowing really how to continue. Zuko had no idea about how much she knew of his current situation. He figured she would have read Iroh's letter, but that barely even scratched the surface of what was wrong with _him. _In all reality, he didn't even know how to broach the subject with her. This was one of the first civil conversations they've had in a really long time. And those were few and far in between.

"You need to get better, too," Azula finished for him. Zuko looked up to see her leaning against the edge of his bedpost, arms folded against her chest again. She shrugged. "You're different than before, Zuzu. We both are. Apparently some bad things happened to you when you were there, and I'm not going to act like you got out of there without some type of problems." She pushed upright and took a few more steps towards him. "But if you're willing to work through our issues, I guess I'll make the effort, as well."

Zuko would have smiled, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. Instead he gave her a stiff nod and awkwardly cleared his throat. "Well, that's good."

He winced, and Azula noticed, because she just smirked. Pushing off of the bedpost, Azula turned and made her way towards the door, calling over her shoulder as she reached the door. "Get some sleep. You look terrible."

Rolling his eyes, Zuko started to turn towards his window again. But before he could fully look out at his city, he heard Azula say to him, "Oh, and you never answered me, Zuzu. Was it worth it?"

She closed the door behind her, without letting Zuko answer and leaving him to his thoughts. Quietly, he looked out to the night sky, watching the stars peak out from behind the clouds growing clouds. That exchange was a little strange, but it was a start. Maybe things between them could become amicable in the future, at least now that she was willing to work with him. Things would probably never be easy between them but he would be damned if he didn't try to make it better.

And not just for himself this time. For Azula, too.

"Yes," he murmured as he smiled to himself, "I think it was."

* * *

_tbc._

* * *

**_A/N _**_Sorry to cut it off short but I originally had this chapter and the next as one chapter, but it was too long. And that's saying a lot coming from me. So I chopped it in half._

_Up next: Aang's return, Katara and Zuko's confrontation, and the conclusion of this story... OR IS IT?_


	15. Unfinished

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender._

**_A/N _**_Last chapter, guys!_

_I just want to give a shout out to everyone who stuck around with this story, giving reviews and following and giving this story a favorite or kudos. You guys all rock and I am thankful for you all. Hope you enjoy the end._

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Unfinished**

* * *

"Alright... suck in your stomach... Chest high, chin up, arms out. Good, dear."

There was to be a special dinner tonight, according to the servant who stopped by her room this morning. Katara was in no mood to attend, but it was a big to-do for Zuko so she would be expected to be there. And since she was the one who rescued him Iroh insisted she had to attend. She was told to be ready at sundown, wearing a dress made for her by the palace tailor Chan Li- who she was visiting now. The cheery and stout woman was busy taking her time measuring out a skirt, leaving Katara to her own thoughts. And as the tailor pulled out a bolt of blood red fabric, Katara let her mind wander to tonight.

It wasn't going to be anything too spectacular- just her friends and Zuko's family. It wasn't even going to be anything too intimate, either, so she didn't understand why she had to be decked out the way this tailor was planning. So far, she was wearing three layers of skirts, two layers of sleeves, and had already been fitted for a thin silver circlet. It was a bit excessive.

"Deary, can you lift your arms higher for me?"

Katara nodded, lifted up her arms a little more, and looked down at the woman as she brought the fabric against Katara's skin. "Were you told why I have to wear something so... fancy?"

Chan Li glanced up, hazel eyes sparkling as she smiled and nodded. "Oh yes, dear. General Iroh insisted on you looking special. There isn't much going on, but you're the guest of honor alongside Fire Lord Zuko."

She swallowed thickly. "I was told it was going to be just a small get together."

Smiling wider, Chan Li said, "It is, dear. But that doesn't mean you can't look nice. After all, you are the Fire Lord's savior. You need to look spectacular."

Katara lifted her arm, where a long swatch of fabric was now draped and pinned in a bell-like fashion. "I guess... but this much?"

A disapproving frown replaced Chan Li's grin and she said sternly, "Master Katara, I was ordered by General Iroh to create a dress for you that would be acceptable for this dinner. I have already worked with Master Bei Fong and your brother before you arrived. They will be dressed accordingly, as well. So you might as well let me sew this dress for you."

Sighing with resignation, Katara nodded and straightened out of her slouch. Chan Li's smile returned, wider than ever, and she continued to measure and snip the different colored fabrics. So far, it appeared she was going to be wearing red, blue, and purple- a sort of blending of Fire Nation and Water Tribe colors and styles. It was low cut in the red under layer, and the upper navy layer had a wrapping style that was similar to her typical robes. It was beautiful and flattering, especially with the purple sash Chan Li had tied around her waist.

Katara figured she was bound to look beautiful... Perhaps Zuko would notice and like it?

She bit her tongue and felt her cheeks grow hot. She _really _needed to stop thinking like this. He was her friend- her _best _friend. Whatever type of feelings she was having for Zuko needed to disappear, and fast. She just pretty much ended things with Aang, and Zuko was the Fire Lord. Her best friend- the Fire Lord. She would have groaned and slapped her own face if she wasn't busy being someone's mannequin. Not only was she basically on the rebound, a relationship with the Fire Lord would probably never work. She knew of his High Council pressuring him to get married and produce an heir, as they had been since he and Mai broke up over a year ago, so whoever he would date needed to be an option for a wife. She couldn't possibly be someone he would even consider. Being Fire Lady for Zuko? It could never happen. And for that, she reckoned she was so stupid for letting herself start to feel this way about him.

She didn't even have any idea how or when these feelings showed up, anyway. It was as if they sideswiped her and knocked her to the ground, blinding her and taking her down faster than she could comprehend.

"Oh," Chan Li crooned, stepping back and putting her chubby fingers to her lips. "You look wonderful, dear. You will be the belle of the ball, so to speak. Now, let's get you out of this so I can sew it by the afternoon."

Katara looked down, agreeing silently, before Chan Li came back to her and began helping her shrug out of the soon-to-be finished dress. As soon as she pulled her robe and slippers back on, she bowed and left the room. She had wanted to go to the library and pick up a historical drama Suki had suggested for her, and now was her chance. Not to mention she could hide in one of the back corners and read until her dress was finished. That would help her avoid any more questions from Sokka or Toph regarding Zuko's rescue and Aang's disappearance, as well as the gossiping tongues of the palace staff. It seems no one here can keep their lips shut about her abandonment by the Avatar, either.

As soon as she entered the library, she found the section Suki told her the book was located and almost immediately found her story. She grabbed it and found a chair tucked away in a sunlit corner, out of sight. There, she settled into her seat and let herself get lost in the pages.

She knew she skipped lunch while she was in the library, based on how her stomach rumbled every few minutes. It was a little past midday when she decided it was about time to clean up and grab something to eat. And just as she closed her book and went set it on the table next to her, heard the very distinguishable sound of Appa's groan outside. She bolted out of her seat, dropping her book to the floor, and sprinted to the window to see him land in the courtyard with Aang on his back, who was dressed in some warmer robes. She figured he couldn't see her from where he was, so she kept watching as he jumped down with a rucksack and his staff, then get greeted by a servant as he headed inside.

It was weird seeing him, but the pang of longing she expected to feel was absent. Maybe it was replaced by the shock of him arriving unannounced, but it was surprising that she didn't even have the desire to dash downstairs and meet up with him. Was it because of her anger towards his treatment of her before he left? Or because of her new found affections towards Zuko?

Katara barely had any time to think on the matter, because a servant had finally found her a whisked her away to Chan Li's workshop.

* * *

"Fire Lord Zuko, if I may insist, we have servants here who would be happy to help you dress and get prepared for the dinner this evening. You do not have to do everything yourself."

Zuko turned around from where he was standing in his closet and glared at Han, his head attendant, before snagging a simple open-collared red tunic and tugging it on over his head. He walked out and shut the door behind him. "As Fire Lord, when I say I do not want the assistance, that means you listen and let me do it on my own. Is that clear?"

Han bowed his head. "Yes, your Majesty."

"So if I find any servants in here when I come back, I'll be looking for you. I will be attending to myself tonight. Alone."

Han nodded, still bowing. "Yes, your Majesty."

"You're dismissed," Zuko said, waving his hand.

As Han scurried out of the room, Azula had come in, dressed in a casual tunic, leggings, and house shoes, watching the attendant flee with amusement before she turned to her brother and snickered, "Well, Zuzu, if I didn't know any better I'd say you're getting a little edgy."

Zuko had been tying his hair in a low ponytail when he turned towards her and growled, "What do you want, Azula?"

Azula grinned and shrugged. "I just wanted to know why we have to get dressed up tonight. It's just dinner."

He rolled his eyes as he put his feet in his boots, tugged on a robe, and knotted it's sash around his waist. "Don't ask me. It was Uncle's idea. And it's a more important occasion, anyway."

"And you're the Fire Lord. You can stop it."

Zuko eyed his sister with annoyance before heading to his door. "I'm humoring him, Azula. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Azula followed right behind him. "You know, you're not supposed to go out without your crown, Zuzu."

"I know."

"So why aren't you wearing it?"

"I, uh... I lost it."

Azula guffawed behind him and cried out, "You lost it?! How did you manage to do that?"

Zuko turned the corner, ignoring her, and went straight to the door that led to his office. As soon as he opened the door, she followed him in and closed it behind them both. He still didn't answer when he sat down at his desk, moved a couple scrolls to the side and pulled out another piece of parchment from one of the drawers. Methodically, he grabbed an ink pallet and brush and began pouring the ink into the small basin. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Azula sit in the chair opposite of him and cross her legs and steeple her fingers.

"Zuko."

"What?" he asked, voice agitated as he began writing out a memo to the High Council.

"Where is your crown?"

Sighing, he set down his brush in the ink pallet and rubbed his temples with his fingers. He could feel the ridge of his new scar above his right eye, as well as the familiar one on his left. The massaging relieved a bit of the tension, but not enough. "It was in the bag strapped to the ostrich horse I was riding in the Earth Kingdom. And that ostrich horse that ran away when I got attacked. For all I know, it's been swindled in the black market and melted down to make a broach for some wannabe gang leader."

He was waiting for some snide remark, and as soon as Azula opened her mouth there was a knock on the door. Both royals rolled their eyes and Zuko cleared his throat. "Enter."

He saw Azula shiver and heard her mutter under her breath, "You sounded just like father then."

Zuko cast her an apologetic look, and she shrugged again. It was weird, now that she was a constant in his life again and they moved passed the ingrained competitiveness between them, things were starting to become more civil. And along with the amicability came the realization that Azula had been just as affected by their father as he had.

With a sigh, he looked back to the door as it opened and revealed the last person Zuko expected to see: Aang.

"Hey, Zuko!" he said, beaming. He turned to Azula, bowed his head slightly, and added, "Azula. Good to see you again."

Azula rolled her eyes and looked back to Zuko, relaying her annoyance at their interruption, and stood. "Well, I don't want to be here anymore. See you later, Zuzu."

She passed Aang without another word, leaving the Fire Lord and the Avatar alone in the office. Aang shuffled on his feet for a moment then flashed Zuko a smile. Zuko grinned as he stood and rounded his desk to give his friend a hug. Aang eagerly opened his arms and they embraced, patting each other on the back before separating and squeezing each other's shoulders.

"You're looking better," Aang commented, glancing at the scar above Zuko's eye and then the one poking out from underneath the collar of his shirt.

Zuko shrugged and sat on the edge of his desk. "Katara did a good job fixing me up."

Aang visibly flinched at the mention of Katara, but quickly recovered with a big and apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I left before we could talk. I needed to take care of some things."

With a dismissive wave, Zuko replied nonchalantly, "It's not a big deal. I understand there were some things that were more important. Besides, you spent enough time looking for me. I was fine, so it didn't matter if you were there or not."

Aang relaxed a little. "Oh, good. I know I was being a little childish leaving like that... But you can understand why I did it."

Zuko nodded, then folded his arms over his chest. He knew very well of the reason Aang left. And to avoid awkwardly talking about the fight with Katara, Zuko tactfully steered the conversation away by saying, "I'm guessing Uncle sent you a letter about the dinner?"

"Yeah, I got it just last night. It's a good thing I was at the Western Air Temple or I wouldn't have made it in time."

"Why there?"

Aang's shoulders dropped marginally and he replied, "When I left Ba Sing Se, I really didn't know where to go. My heart told me many different places, but my spirit told me I needed to be myself. So I went to the one place I knew no one would find me without me telling them I was there. I needed time for introspection, and in two weeks I got just that at the Western Air Temple."

Zuko knew what Aang needed to think about, and decided it would be best not to ask him to elaborate. It wasn't any of his business, anyway. Aang was with Katara, much to Zuko's dismay, and their relationship problems were meant to be kept between them.

Aang gave him another smile and began taking small steps back towards the door. "Well, it looks like you were pretty busy. I should go and get settled in before tonight."

Zuko stood and cleared his throat. "Oh yeah. It starts at sunset, in the east wing banquet hall. If you can't find it, someone can point the way."

They bowed to each other and Aang slipped out of the door, waving goodbye as it shut behind him. Zuko waited a few minutes before going to his chair and sinking into the cushions. He let out a deep breath and groaned as he ran his hands down his face. He hadn't quite expected Aang, so now he felt as if he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Dinner would be tense, no doubt, and since Aang had returned he probably would try to convince Katara to leave with him once more.

Nothing hurt Zuko's heart more than the thought of her leaving with him.

* * *

When she passed a mirror in the hall, at first Katara didn't recognize herself. Dressed in a lavish navy dress, complete with a purple sash tied around her waist and an underlayer of red peeking out from beneath the blue, she was truly a vision. Her lips were delicately painted red and her eyes were thinly lined with kohl. To top it all off, her hair had a few small braids pulled back into a small bun that fell into loose curls and a beautiful silver circlet was woven in. She looked like royalty tonight.

As soon as she reached the door, her nerves began acting up. She didn't know why, though. It was just a dinner with friends, like always. Nothing more, nothing less. Her attire meant nothing. So she just took a deep breath, centering herself, and opened the door.

Katara entered the dining hall, holding up her skirts as she walked through the doorway. Everyone was seated, but as soon as her eyes met Zuko's- who was sitting at the head of the table, dressed in his Fire Lord robes once more, sans his crown- he smiled broadly and stood. She felt her tummy twist and she returned his smile as she walked into the room. Everyone else looked to her, Aang's eyes especially intense, and a round of welcomes chorused from all of them. Everyone was there, even Ursa, Ikem, Kiyi, and surprisingly Ty Lee.

She was too focused on seeing who was at the dinner that she didn't notice that Iroh had stood as well and was now coming to escort her to where she would being sitting. As what she expected, her seat was across from his at the head of the table- to Zuko's immediate left.

The table was full of different dishes, some she recognized to hail from each nation. And even though she was the last one to come into the room, they had all waited for her before they started.

She felt two pairs of eyes on her, both pleading for her to stare at them in return in hopes of some sort of similar longing. She couldn't quite do that. Instead, she conversed with Iroh and Suki, who was to her left. Since Zuko was on her right, she was trying her hardest not to look at him. She could tell he would look in her direction every once in a while, but he was busy talking to Iroh when she wasn't, or talking over him to Azula, who was on Iroh's right. Even that was rare, because she would continuously turn to Sokka and talk lowly with him when he wasn't talking with Aang. For the main part, Azula just kept to herself.

From the other end of the table, Ursa stood and raised her cup. "I'd like to propose a toast: to Master Katara and Avatar Aang for finding my son when almost all hope was lost. And against all odds, they brought him back home to his country and his people."

A chorus of cheers echoed throughout the room, complete with a holler and whistle from Toph and a loud whoop from Sokka.

"Here, here."

Katara turned to see Zuko raising his glass towards her, eyes burning through her so intensely that she thought she would combust then and there. He took a drink, eyes still locked on her over the rim of his cup, and it was enough to make her cheeks heat and her heart to race. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Aang eyeing her similarly. Awkwardly, she gave him a small smile before turning back to her plate and taking another bite.

"Miss Katara." She glanced up to see Iroh looking at her, flashing her a merry grin, "You look wonderful tonight."

She was certain her cheeks were tinted a little pinker at that moment. "Thank you, Iroh."

Without a beat, Iroh turned to Zuko and gave him a cheeky smile. "Don't you think so, nephew?"

Zuko choked on the food he had just swallowed and hit his chest a few times before coughing loudly. A few eyes turned to him, but he quickly cleared his throat and took a drink to cover his apparent embarrassment. She waited for a few moments, a little anxiously, before he swallowed and nodded his head once, looking Katara in the eye and giving her a polite grin. "Yes, Uncle. She looks lovely."

Iroh beamed, then brought his attention back to Katara. "I agree. I must give Mistress Chan Li my thanks... Now, Katara, I have barely seen you since we got back to the Fire Nation. What have you been up to?"

Katara swallowed the bite of food she had just taken and replied, "Well, not much. Just keeping to myself, going to the library to read, relaxing. Spirits know I haven't been able to lately."

"Oh, yes," Iroh agreed in an odd fashion. "With you taking care of my nephew and all. You two _did_ spend a lot of time together since he was rescued. Now that he is back to good health, I was just curious as to what you were doing now that you aren't at his side night and day."

Zuko's cheeks flushed again, much to Katara's amusement, and he hissed in a warning, "Uncle..."

Iroh shrugged and took another drink out of his cup- judging by his rosy cheeks, it had been probably sake- then replied, "Nephew, you and I both know that she is no longer taking care of you, so she is free to do her own thing. I'm actually wondering what you will do now that your mission is complete?"

She shrugged, then spotted Aang perk up as he listened. "Honestly, I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead yet."

Iroh nodded sagely, and- maybe her eyes deceived her- he flashed Zuko a peculiar look. Zuko wordlessly glared at his uncle, but then shifted in his seat and continued to eat his food. After he swallowed a few bites, Zuko turned to her and said, "Well, if you are interested you can stay here for a little bit. You never got to see the Fire Nation outside of war and I think it would be a good idea- I mean, only if you want to. I know you told me there were some other things you wanted to do now."

Their eyes met and she smiled at him, feeling her whole body warm and bolt to life when he smiled in return. She dipped her chin down once towards him, then grabbed her cup. "I'll think about it. Thank you for the invitation, Zuko."

He blinked a couple of times, still smiling like an idiot, and then broke their eye contact to stare at his plate. She could have sworn his cheeks reddened again, but she chose to let that little bit of hope inside of her go. It was nothing.

An elbow dug into her side lightly, and she looked over to see Suki grinning at her like an idiot.

"What?"

"I saw that," she whispered conspiratorially.

"Saw what?" Katara's cheeks heated up and she sucked in a breath.

Suki's eyes flashed over to Zuko, then her smile got wider. "That. Now, I'm not going to pry, but whatever you might be feeling shouldn't be denied. I can understand why, so don't keep yourself- or him- in the dark for too long."

Katara sucked in a deep breath and was about to ask Suki what the heck she was talking about, but the Kyoshi Warrior had already turned around to talk to Toph. Frowning, Katara started to turn to look at her plate but her eyes caught Aang's. He was staring at her with some sort of lost puppy dog look that just made her stomach turn and twist with guilt.

Did he know? Had he seen what Suki had apparently seen? Not that it mattered- she and Aang had basically broken up. But if he saw some sort of reaction in her that confirmed his belief that she had feelings for Zuko- which was now unfortunately true- would he accuse her of things she had never done? Would he remove her from his life entirely? Even if they broke up for good, she would never wish to no longer be a part of his life. But maybe that was collateral for having a crush on their mutual best friend. Maybe they could never be as close as they once had.

Soon the dinner was over and Katara excused herself, leaving the banquet hall and heading down the corridor towards the balcony that overlooked the garden. Maybe if she went there, she would have a moment to herself to think about what had happened. She needed to decide what she would do, now that she was no longer really needed here, or where she would go if she decided to leave.

Would she go back home? Or would she stay in the Fire Nation? Both were appealing options. On one hand, she would be able to see her family again and get reintegrated back into her old life. But something deep inside of her told her that she still wanted to see so much of the world, travel across every country without the threat of death looming over her shoulders.

Once Katara reached the balcony, she pushed the curtains aside and let them fall behind her; shrouding her entirely in the moonlight. If she stayed here, she would get to experience the Fire Nation to it's full extent. And then she would get to spend more time with Zuko, which was always a very tempting thought.

And there was always the option of going with Aang, wherever he decided to go. But that seemed so unlikely, and even debating it with herself just caused that pit in her stomach to knot even more to the extent of her wanting to vomit all of her dinner. Since when did the thought of being with Aang sicken her so much? Was it the fact that her affections were now placed with someone else? Or that with Aang came the eminent future of being in a relationship where she no longer felt fulfilled and had to sacrifice what she wanted to make him happy?

"Katara?"

_Speak of the devil. _She turned around, taking her eyes off of the night sky, and stared right at him. Aang had grown in the past month, not enough for just anyone to notice. _She_ could tell though, mainly because of their separation after spending so much time together. There was an uneasiness about standing here alone with him, and it was just reconfirming every thing she had been thinking since he left her two weeks ago.

Aang stepped forward and started, "Look, I wanted to apologize for how I treated you the last time we were together."

She frowned and folded her arms across her chest. "For what exactly do you want to apologize? Running off, accusing me of loving someone else, or being a big possum-chicken head about our potential future?"

He sighed heavily and his shoulders slumped. "All of it, I guess. After I left, I spent the whole time meditating at the Western Air Temple, thinking about what I needed to do and what I should focus on for my future."

"And what did you decide?"

"I realized that you were right," he replied, looking up from the ground and giving her a small smile. "I shouldn't have expected you to sacrifice your heritage and culture to be a part of mine. It's like the situation in Yu Dao... if we want to stay together we should be blended. We are revolutionary in our own right, a symbol of how the world has changed and will change in the future."

Katara smiled at him, and opened her mouth to speak but he held up his hand to stop her.

"Just let me finish," he said, cutting her off and giving off an air of new detachment. "I also realized that you need to understand that as the last of my people, I have the responsibility and duty of bringing back my culture to the way it had been before so I can restore balance to the world. I think any airbending children we have should be completely immersed in Air Nomad ways alone. They can learn about your culture, but it won't be a blended environment like you are envisioning, or like the families in the colonies. I have a duty as an Air Nomad and as the Avatar, and restoring my people and their ways is one of my duties."

Once he finished, Katara felt her stomach drop and her hopes drop with it. He basically claimed to have gone and been enlightened, but this was pretty much what he had been arguing before. Frowning still, Katara tightened her grip on her arms and started, "I'm glad you're being mature about this, Aang. But things have changed, the world has changed. And you need to change with it."

He stared at her dumbly for a moment, but before he could counter she continued, "You claim that in order for us to be together, we have to be blended. We can't have certain standards for just one specific child in our family. It's completely unfair to all of us. And what happens if we have a nonbending child or a waterbender? Will they be ignored by you because they aren't like _your _people? What if I can't _have_ an airbending child? Have you thought about what would you do then?"

Aang stammered, "I- I don't know."

Katara frowned and replied, "I know exactly what you would have to do: either divorce me and find a new wife or take up a mistress in order to have an airbender. Like you said: it's your duty to have an airbending child, regardless if it's with me or not."

"I would never do that, Katara!" he exclaimed. "We would figure something out!"

"But that's the thing," she said sadly, shaking her head and looking down at her feet. "I don't think we can..."

Aang took a step back from her. "What are you saying?"

_This is it. _Looking up and staring Aang down with as much resolve she could muster, Katara took a deep breath and asked, "When did you want to get married to me, Aang?"

Without hesitation, Aang replied, "The beginning of spring."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "I guess mainly because I want to start our lives together as soon as possible. Like, after we leave here, you can start learning more from the acolytes and we can start trying for children right after we get married-"

"Wait, what?" Katara held up her hands as she interrupted him.

Aang shrugged again and went on, "Well, that way we have more time to have more kids in case any of them don't end up being airbenders, especially since I want to have at least three airbending children to pass on the teachings of my people and the bending arts-"

"Aang, do you even hear yourself?!" Katara shouted, startling him. "We're talking about _my _body! I should have a say on when I start having children and how many I have. And I do _not _want to start trying when I'm not even 20! I have so much more to do with my life, so much more to learn! I can't do that with children, not yet."

"I'm sorry, Katara!" Aang cried, taking a step back. "But you have to understand: I'm the last of my people! It's my duty as the Avatar and as the last Air Nomad to bring back my people! I can't be waiting around for who know how long! The sooner more airbenders are brought into this world, the sooner balance will be restored."

Katara took another deep breath to calm herself, then pressed her fingers to her temple and said evenly, "So that means I basically have no choice on when I get to start my family?"

Aang looked crestfallen, and he stared at the ground when he replied, "Isn't this what you wanted? To be with me? You told me yourself that you saw us when you saw the families in Yu Dao... Is that not true anymore?"

She closed her eyes. In her mind, she saw the Morishitas standing together on the street. She saw Kori, dressed in green and red while earthbending at Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation soldiers alike. She saw how happy that family was, despite their physical and cultural differences. In Yu Dao, and the other colonies, they had made their own culture. They were the new world.

Then she saw her future family: Aang holding a young boy, who was dressed in the yellow and orange student robes of the Air Nomads. And Katara was standing apart from them, holding the hand of a little blue eyed girl, who was bending the water at their feet. They didn't look happy as they watched Aang bend the air with the young boy, both of them laughing as Katara and her daughter stood at a distance. As Air Nomads, they would be travelling from temple to temple learning about Aang's culture. But Katara would either be left with their waterbending daughter, explaining why her father only took her brother on vacation, or going with them but getting left out because they were different.

Katara then saw herself holding a baby girl, lightly tanned skin and straight brown hair, wrapped in a dark red blanket. Katara was singing a soft Water Tribe lullaby when the girl opened her eyes, revealing twinkling gold crinkled up by a crooked smile. Another child- a boy- ran up to her, the same tan skin and curly black hair pulled into a ponytail, and tugged on her robes, looking up to her with wide blue eyes like her own. He then showed her a ball of fire that appeared from the palm of his hand. Their father approached her, wearing his normal red and black robes, with some silver and gold accents on the mantle. He gave her a peck on the forehead and took the baby girl from her arms, cradling her against his chest and kissing her little cheek. Happiness swelled in her heart, because this was the type of family she wanted.

She blinked a few times, realizing her little fantasy was over. Aang was still staring at her when she sighed and shook her head. "Aang... All I've wanted since I could remember was for the war to end. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine meeting the Avatar and helping him save the world, let alone end up being the one he wanted to be with... But when we want two different things, it's hard to imagine a life where we can harmoniously live together with a blended family.

"Now that the war is over, we can think of peace," she continued, watching him as tears began to slowly fall out of his eyes, "but that peace will be fought for every single day. You duties as the Avatar will probably interfere with having a the type of family I want. And, yes, I want to settle down at some point and have a family, but only at the time that I decide. You deciding for me without my consent just shows me how little you value my opinion and independence. I am not a prize to be won, and I am not going to be a baby maker for you. I want to have children, and I don't want to have to care about what type of bender they might end up being because the world's balance depends on it."

Aang's tears began falling even harder and he tried in vain to wipe them away. "So... I'm guessing this is it, then?"

She nodded once, then looked away. "It was my dream to have the Avatar return to the world and restore balance... You brought me hope when I thought the world would be nothing but darkness... You're the reason I'm here today and that I've learned everything I know. But that only does so much... When you can't compromise in any type of relationship, the best solution is to walk away so you don't sacrifice what you want just to make someone else happy."

He agreed, sniffling, as he nodded, too. "All I ever wanted was to make you happy."

Katara gave him a watery smile, feeling her own eyes prickle with the onset of tears. "And you did. I just can't do the same for you anymore."

Aang took her hand, tears still falling, and he smiled sadly. "I'll always love you, Katara."

She stopped herself from sobbing, but instead sniffed and let her own tears cascade down her cheeks. "I'll always love you, too, Aang... Just not in the way you want me to."

He nodded, blinking several times before leaning in and kissing her chastely on the cheek. Without another word, he let go of her hand and walked away. It wasn't until the curtains fell behind him that she let herself truly cry. They weren't just sad tears, though. They were relieved tears, as well. It felt as if a heavy weight was lifted off of her shoulders and fluttered away into the night.

For some reason, she now felt truly free.

* * *

When he knocked, he didn't expect for her to answer. In all reality, he had assumed she turned in early for the night and didn't even want to talk. And when Aang came to him with tears in his eyes and let him know that he was leaving already, Zuko couldn't help but think that she was the reason. So he undressed himself, pulled on his more casual clothes and tied his hair out of his eyes. The palace was quiet, fortunately, so Zuko made it to her room without any interruptions. It was when he finally knocked on her door that he realized he might be making a mistake.

"Come in."

Her voice sounded small and a little broken from behind the wood, and Zuko felt the compulsive need to just barrel in and wrap her in a bone crushing hug. For some reason, though a little uncharacteristic of him to desire that, it just seemed like the right thing to do.

He pushed the door open and walked in, then gently closed it behind him. The room was dimly lit by two lanterns, and he could see her silhouette on the windowsill, looking out towards the stars. She was dressed in just a gossamer-thin red dress, feet bare as they dangled from her seat. Her hair was pulled from the small braids and circlet and fell in curls that curtained around her shoulders.

Zuko hesitantly stepped towards her, now almost right behind her. "Are you okay?"

"Who's to say?" Katara replied with a shrug, still looking out the window. "I just officially ended things with my boyfriend of four years, the man I thought I might marry, because we decided we wanted different things."

His heart flipped at that news. Though he knew of the tension between the two, he never actually expected for them to break up for good. It made his heart soar and his mind go straight to thoughts of him declaring his undying love and devotion to her. But she couldn't know about any of that, so he masked his excitement as best as he could. "Like what?"

Sighing, Katara turned from her perch and looked to him. "He understands that as a couple, our cultures need to blend and not overshadow one another. But he said that once we have airbending kids, they should be completely immersed in Air Nomad culture so he can rebuild his nation."

Zuko took a couple more measured steps towards her. "That's not very fair."

Katara seemed to agree, exasperatedly, because she exhaled heavily and threw up her hands. "No, it's not. And I realized that if we have children that are waterbenders or nonbenders as well as airbenders he might neglect them so he can teach the airbender how to be an Air Nomad. It wouldn't be fair, that with him having to be gone a lot for Avatar stuff."

"What would you rather have?" Zuko countered. "A life like that or a family where it was all of your cultures and traditions?"

Katara stared him down, chewing on her lip, before she closed her eyes and deflated a little. "Neither. I would rather have a marriage where there is love and understanding, and compromises with the traditions. Probably even create our own because we would be new and completely different from other families. No one should have more say in what we do. Or when we do it."

There was something else in her voice, hiding underneath what she had said. Something different than what she was actually talking about. "This isn't just about the culture stuff."

She looked away and out her window once more. "He wanted to get married in the spring so we could start has soon as possible on making new airbenders."

Something in Zuko's stomach twisted and he felt the overwhelming desire to gag. "You're only 19."

"I know!" she cried. "He has plenty of time to procreate some nomads. But right now, I still want to see the world without fire nipping at my heels. Or maybe even go home for a year or two before venturing out again. I'm still young and don't have the threat of premature death anymore."

Zuko closed the distance between them and sat next her on the windowsill. "Katara, I think taking time for yourself is a great idea. And..." he sighed and rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand, "maybe you can tell Aang that it's what you want. He'll understand."

Katara's shoulders dropped as she heaved out another sigh. "I tried. He shot it down saying that the earlier we start, the more we can have. He told me he wants at least three airbending children to pass on the ways of his people! Three! That's 27 months pregnant. Two and a half years working on that. And not to mention the waiting periods in between birth and conception of a new kid, that's an extra two months per child. So 33 months- let's round up to three years total. But I want the baby to be at least one before we start trying again, so now it's six years. I'll be 25 and done by the time the third is born, but that's only if they're all airbenders! What if I keep having waterbenders or nonbenders? I really don't want to have more than three kids, so unless I have an airbender in all of those three pregnancies, I'll either have to force my body to have another child or Aang will have to take on a mistress to have one for him if I can't do it for him-"

Zuko put his hands on her shoulders. "Katara calm down-"

"-And I feel like he will do whatever it takes to have an airbender, and I don't want to let him down so I might have to have an armada of children in order for him to have airbenders-"

"Katara, stop!" he shouted, causing her to freeze and stare at him with wide eyes. Zuko then took a deep breath and started, "Look, this is how I see it: you get to decide what you want, because it's your body that will be dealing with the pressure of children- not his. So when you say you're done, you're done. And if you want to travel, do it. If Aang truly loves you, he will wait."

Tears began to form in her eyes. "I don't think he will anymore... I told him that we're through because he couldn't see things from my side."

Zuko cupped one of her cheeks, stroking the soft skin with the pad of his thumb. "Then he's a stupid, stupid boy who won't realize how selfish and idiotic he was because he lost a beautiful and amazing woman like you."

Katara blushed, blinking away her tears as she grabbed the hand holding her cheek. "Thank you, Zuko."

Not even hesitating, Zuko leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, that's what best friends are for right? You would be here for me if I was having an emotional breakdown."

"Hey!"

"Sorry," he chuckled lowly, still holding onto her. "I think what you need is time for yourself. You've barely known yourself alone without the pressures of war or outside of a relationship. It does your soul some good. Trust me."

Her head moved under his chin and he could feel her breath tickling his neck. "Is that what it did for you?"

He nodded, scratching her slightly with his scruff. "I think I gained some wisdom by focusing mainly on myself and my country. Having to juggle a fragile relationship and an even more fragile country just wasn't good for me. Once I figured out who I was outside of a relationship, I learned what I wanted and better understood myself. It was enlightening, really."

Katara took a deep breath and let it out slowly, melting more into the hug as she buried her head into Zuko's chest. "I guess that's what I need."

His heart was flipping, but he had to look her in the eye. So he let go and held her at arm's distance, locking his eyes on her and giving her a warm smile. "How about this: you take one of my ostrich horses and travel the world for a while. I'll give you money and supplies and you can do whatever you want. Then come back here for the Harmony Summit at the end of next summer. Sound good to you?"

She looked a little unconvinced and was frowning. "But when would I leave?"

He shrugged. "Whenever you want. I'm not going to tell you what to do."

Katara smiled at him, then pulled him back into their hug. His heart did that stupid leaping thing again and he had to tell himself not to get ahead of himself. She just broke up with Aang, for real this time, and needed a friend to console her, not woo her. So instead he rubbed her back and let out a heavy breath. She tightened her arms around him and nuzzled her face against his neck. As soon as she did that, he knew his heart was hammering in his chest and she was bound to hear it. His feelings for her were bound to come to light now.

"Zuko?"

"Hmm?"

Katara pulled out of the hug, looking up at him with her big and beautiful blue eyes. His breath caught in his throat and for a moment he thought he would just stop breathing all together. How could she _not_ know what she was doing to him? It was so obvious now. And as he waited for her to speak, transfixed on her gaze as they searched his eyes for something- what, he didn't know- he swallowed down the tightening in his throat.

Her hand went up and cupped the side of his face, but this time his right cheek. Her finger traced the new little scar above his eye, then she lifted her other hand and cupped the other side of his face. Her thumbs stroked his cheeks- one a phantom feeling of the other- and her eyes remained locked on his. In that moment, it seemed as if his heart skipped a beat, then started back up in that annoying hammering pattern that echoed into his ears.

Katara's mouth opened as if she was going to speak, but all at once she sighed and her hands dropped away from his face- taking his hopes along with them. She turned away from him, frowning as she rubbed her arm with her other hand. "I think it would be best if I went out on my own for a while. You were right... I need to know and love myself before I can be with someone."

Zuko nodded dumbly, wanting to know what exactly had gone through her mind to make her end that moment between them so abruptly. That nagging part in the back of his mind reminded him it was because she just broke up with Aang, the boy she had been in love with since as long as he knew her. And that same part told him it was because there was no moment between them, and it was just something in which his imagination had gotten carried away. She didn't feel the same about him as he did her. It could never be likely, not someone as wonderful as she was.

Slowly, Zuko stood. "Just let me know when you decide to go. I can set up all of the travelling arrangements for you as soon as you want."

Katara stood as well, eyes lingering on his. "Thank you so much... You don't know how much it means to me that you're supporting me."

They were standing face to face, and when their eyes met again it felt like Zuko's heart was going to explode. Though he knew it probably would never be reciprocated, Zuko took her hand and squeezed it gently. With a smile, he said softly, "Like I said: what are friends for?"

This time, it was Katara who nodded dumbly, causing her hair to fall into her face and over her shoulder. Zuko took his free hand and pushed it away and behind her ear- fingers grazing her skin ever so slightly. It seemed as if a shiver ran through her body and her eyes closed.

They stayed like that for a while, until he took a deep breath and took his hands away from her. Her eyes opened, disappointment filling them, and she just watched as he took a step back and said, "It's getting late. I better turn in for the night."

She blinked a few times. "Right... Me too. Sokka wants to have breakfast with me so I better get some sleep."

Zuko gave her a small smile and headed towards her door with her right on his heels. As soon as he was through the door, he turned back around. "Listen, things will get better. I promise. It may not seem like it right now but as soon as you realize that you deserve better, you will get it."

Katara flashed him a bright grin and hugged him lightly once more. For some reason, Zuko saw this as a golden opportunity. Despite his better judgement, he leaned down and pressed his lips against the skin of her cheek. He lingered for a moment, feeling his mind whirl and heart erupt. When he pulled away, he was reassured a little when he saw her cheeks flare pink.

His hand slipped from hers and he took another step back. "Good night, Katara."

And without another word, he turned away and walked down the hallway. It wasn't until he was laying in his bed that he realized that he probably will never get down from that high ever again, and if he were to die right now it would be worth it.

* * *

Zuko walked away from her and there was something in her body screaming for her to follow him and get a proper kiss instead of one on her cheek. But he had disappeared around a corner before her feet listened and moved from where they had practically frozen to the floor. So she walked back into her room and quietly shut the door behind her, now left alone with the loudness of her thoughts and the erratic beating of her heart.

It was then that Katara pressed her back against the door, smiling as she chewed her lower lip between her teeth. The warm fluttering in her chest didn't leave, and intensified when the thought of Zuko smiling at her flashed through her mind. It was as she was walking towards her bed that what Azula and Aang has said to her all those weeks ago rang in her ears. It made her heart hurt, her head spin with realization and sudden clarity.

She dropped onto her bed, forgetting she was dressed in the thin underlayer from her gown, and stared at the wall in front of her. How could she not see it before? It was so plainly obvious now, right in front of her eyes as clear as day. She may have not been able to fully acknowledge it before, but now there was no avoiding it.

Her obsession on finding him, her insistent need to tend to him and bring him back to health, the way her mind always wandered to him and desired for his touch and presence. It made so much sense now.

She was in love with Zuko.

* * *

_..._

* * *

A knife twirled above his hand, glinting with the setting sunlight and a reflection of the flame behind him.

"Are you sure that's who came to rescue him?"

The man behind him nodded. "Positive. Rikon even said she was in the tavern before they found us. She had been asking about Yura and beat him up for information on the whereabouts of the Fire Lord."

The knife stopped twirling mid-air, and he turned in his chair to look at the man behind him face to face. "And her location now?"

Then man trembled in his place, then swallowed a big gulp before answering, "The Fire Nation capital. In the palace, to be exact. But our intel says she plans on leaving soon now that the Fire Lord has been completely healed. The Avatar left shortly after arriving."

Nodding, the man in the chair looked back to the knife and grinned, "You have served me well, Sina. Don't take this personally, but we need as much discretion in regards to this mission as possible. Yura's lack of secrecy was his downfall, and I will not make that same mistake."

With a twitch in his face, the knife pointed right towards Sina's heart and soared across the room- so fast it went right through him and was impaled on the wall behind him. Just as Sina fell to the floor, lifeless, the knife began dripping blood against the wall.

The man sighed and shook his head, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket. With another twitch of his hand, the knife was pulled from the wall and soared back to him. He grasped it gently and wiped the blood away, then tucked it into a small pouch on his hip. He stood, then walked over towards his window that overlooked the bustling streets of the walled city.

"By this time next week," he murmured to himself, "Avatar Aang, Master Katara and Fire Lord Zuko will all be dead. And this, and every other city in the world, will go into chaos."

* * *

_fin_

_For now..._

* * *

_**A/N **oh boy... Well that's the end of **Against All Odds. **Thanks for sticking around, everyone. I hope you liked it and will come back for the sequel I have planned that will be coming out later this year!_

_Attend well,_

_Pearlynn._


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